Regional
Annual Conference of BBMT-Pakistan held in Sri Lanka
The 6th Annual Conference of Bring Brilliant Minds of Transfusion (BBMT)-Pakistan was successfully held from December 3-4, 2025, at Taj Samudra, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Organized under the theme “The New Era of Transfusion Medicine in Pakistan: Innovation Through Policy, Partnership, Preparedness, Progress, and People,” the conference marked a significant milestone in BBMT-Pakistan’s mission to strengthen transfusion medicine through regional and global collaboration. The event attracted 186 participants, including 103 in-person delegates and 83 virtual attendees, representing Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Cyprus, Lebanon, and the United Kingdom.
The two-day scientific program comprised 51 oral and free paper presentations, two hands-on workshops, and institutional visits to the National Blood Centre and National Hospital Colombo. The conference was formally inaugurated by Asela Gunawardena, Director General of Health Services, Sri Lanka, in the presence of BBMT leadership, international experts, and representatives from WHO, ISBT, and national blood transfusion services. The opening session highlighted the strong diplomatic and professional ties between Pakistan and Sri Lanka and emphasized the importance of resilient, policy-driven transfusion systems.
Scientific sessions covered a broad range of contemporary themes, including haemovigilance and traceability, transfusion-transmissible infections, digital transformation, plasma-derived medicinal products, platelet and leukoreduction strategies, and management of blood services during humanitarian crises. Special focus was placed on thalassaemia prevention and management, including pharmacological advances such as thalidomide therapy, genetic predictors of response, chelation monitoring, and case-based clinical learning. The inclusion of free paper sessions provided young researchers and laboratory professionals with a platform to share data on donor safety, epidemiology, transfusion reactions, and service optimization.
A major highlight of the conference was the launch of two landmark national publications: the National Guidelines on Quality Control in Transfusion Medicine (4th Edition) and the Textbook of Clinical Phlebotomy, Pakistan’s first indigenous reference for laboratory sciences. BBMT- Pakistan and Alpha Evolution Enterprises relaunched Desferal® (Deferoxamine) injection, a life-saving chelation therapy for thalassaemics. In addition, the BBMT-Pakistan official website was inaugurated, strengthening digital engagement, knowledge sharing, and professional networking.
The second day featured field visits (facilitated by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health and the Sri Lankan High Commission in Pakistan) to the National Blood Centre and the National Hospital, offering delegates firsthand exposure to Sri Lanka’s centralized, IT-enabled blood transfusion model. These visits reinforced practical learning and showcased best practices in voluntary donor management, quality systems, and traceability.
Overall, the conference achieved key outcomes in capacity building, policy dialogue, academic advancement, and regional cooperation. It reaffirmed BBMT-Pakistan’s leadership role in advancing transfusion medicine through evidence-based practice, innovation, and international engagement. The success of the Colombo conference laid a strong foundation for future collaborations, including planned MoUs, fellowship programs, and continued partnership with global organizations such as ISBT and WHO, aimed at improving patient safety and transfusion standards across Pakistan and the wider region.
