Academy
Transfusion Medicine in Pakistan:
Balancing Challenges and Opportunities with Pragmatism
The Regional Blood Centre Peshawar organized a 1 day seminar on ‘Transfusion Medicine in Pakistan: Balancing Challenges and Opportunities with Pragmatism’ on January 20th 2024. The objective of the seminar was to address and discuss various aspects of transfusion medicine in the context of Pakistan. The seminar aimed to bring together professionals, experts, and stakeholders in the field to explore, analyse, and find practical solutions for the challenges faced in the domain of transfusion medicine in Pakistan. The seminar identified pragmatic solutions that can contribute to the advancement of transfusion medicine in our country.
The seminar attracted a considerable number of participants from various Regional Blood Centres (RBCs), Hospital Blood Banks (HBBs) and NGO-sector blood establishments from Peshawar and across the country. The engagement and active participation of attendees were noteworthy, fostering valuable networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities. A total of 52 participants attended the seminar and belonged to Regional Blood Centres in Swat, DI Khan, Abbottabad, Peshawar, Islamabad, Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, and Quetta. The representatives of HBBs included those from the Lady Reading Hospital, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Burns and Plastic Surgery Hospital, Peshawar Institute of Cardiology, Hamza Foundation, Fatimid Foundation, Frontier Foundation, Baloch Blood Bank, Pashtunkhwa Blood Bank, and Dr. Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital.
The Seminar was a well-organized and informative event, addressing crucial aspects of blood transfusion and related medical practices. The agenda encompassed a diverse range of topics, including but not limited to Voluntary Blood Donation Campaigns and Social Media – I (WhatsApp) II (Facebook) III (Instagram/Twitter); Blood Bags and Transfusion Medicine: Opportunities, Challenges and the Way Forward; Introduction to the National Guidelines - Quality Control in Transfusion Medicine 2020 (3rd ed.); Quality and Specifications of a Blood Bag; Haemovigilance and Blood Safety; ICT vs ELISA vs CLIA for Blood Bank Screening, and Legislative Environment of BTS in Pakistan. The lectures were followed by a detailed Panel Discussion on strategic aspects of transfusion medicine in the country with a special focus on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This dynamic discussion addressed key points such as Evidence-Based Transfusion Medicine; Rapid Devices Use in Blood Banks; Feasibility of NAT in Pakistan; Properties of an Ideal Blood Bag (sampling pouch); Experience of Blood Bags Usage; Data Management Practices in BTS Pakistan; Periodic Reporting (annual/quarterly) by RBCs; Components Preparation Practices; RBCs Operationalization Experience (RBC & NGO); National Blood Policy (Draft); Brilliant Minds Academic Group; National Guidelines/Standards / SOPs/Handbook, and Balancing Challenges and Opportunities with Pragmatism. This comprehensive exploration of topics and engaging discussions underscored the seminar's commitment to fostering a deep understanding of the intricacies within the field of transfusion medicine, facilitating an exchange of ideas and experiences among participants.
The quality of presentations and lectures delivered by esteemed speakers was commendable. The content was not only relevant but also provided valuable insights into the latest advancements and best practices in Transfusion Medicine.
Invited speakers at the seminar
Special appreciation is due for Dr. Huma Riaz, Dr. Noor e Saba, Dr. Akhlaaq Wazeer, Dr. Usman Waheed, Dr. Nayab SafiUllah Jan, Haris Sher, and Dr. Muhammad Nisar. Their collective efforts not only ensured the relevance of the seminar but also left a lasting impact on the participants, offering them a comprehensive understanding of the current landscape in Transfusion Medicine. The seminar owes much of its success to the dedication and expertise demonstrated by these individuals, and their invaluable contributions are deeply appreciated.
The valedictory session, presided over by Dr. Jamal Abdul Nasir, Chairman of the RBC Governing Board, featured the distribution of tokens of appreciation to the speakers and facilitators, along with certificates presented to the participants. Dr. Nasir, in his address, commended the significant strides made in capacity building initiatives and underscored the critical role of blood safety in public health. He expressed unwavering assurance of the full support of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the network of Regional Blood Centers (RBCs) within the province. In assuring continued governmental support to the RBC network, Dr. Nasir not only reinforced the significance of these RBCs but also highlighted the collaborative partnership between the public sector and healthcare institutions.
Feedback collected from participants indicated a high level of satisfaction with the seminar. The majority expressed appreciation for the relevance of the topics covered, the caliber of speakers, and the interactive nature of the sessions. Below you will find a few excerpts from the participants’ feedback:
Congratulations to Dr. Jamal Abdul Nasir and to Dr. Noor e Saba on holding such a successful seminar. Indeed, it was a wonderful experience to be among highly skilled professionals of Hematology who successfully transferred the acquired knowledge down to the audience..."
Badar Hussain, Fatimid Foundation, Peshawar
"The RBC Peshawar team and ISBT deserves a special appreciation on conducting such an informative seminar. I learnt a lot, met some old friends, and made some new connections..."
Rasif Khan, Regional Blood Centre, Mirpur, AJK
"It was a long distance that we travelled from Quetta to Peshawar ...However, it is the love and care we got in Peshawar that all tiredness fizzled away. Appreciate the initiative of Peshawar RBC to bring together different RBCs and share and learn from each other’s experiences. The presentations during the seminar were very informative..."
Abdul Haleem, Regional Blood Centre, Quetta, Balochistan
