Manager for the RBC, Dr Saba said that the blood is collected from donors maintaining the highest standards, costing more than Rs 4,000 per bag, and is then converted into different components ie plasma, red blood cells and platelets. Moreover, blood centres throughout the province only provide whole blood which increases complexities in patients as only a single component of blood is required in majority of the cases.
"Over 4,000 dengue affected patients have been provided with platelet bags since the dengue epidemic this year. More than 80 apheresis bags, that cost more than Rs 20,000 per bag, were also provided to the patients in critical conditions free of cost. This facility is only available at the RBC in Peshawar."
Project Director Safe Blood Transfusion Dr Shams Afridi stated that the government has allocated Rs 260 million budget for the year 2017-18 to meet the requirements of the RBC. However, the budget has already been utilized and currently Rs 23 million additional grant has been provided by the government to meet the expenses of the RBC.
"We provide blood to the patients who are referred to us by the six major hospitals in Peshawar including Khyber Teaching Hospital, Lady Reading Hospital, Institute of Kidney diseases, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Naseerullah Baber Hospital and Maternity Hospital Peshawar," Dr Shams said.
While commenting on the initiative, Deputy Director Safe Blood Transfusion Dr Ghulam Farooq stated that the construction of three new RBCs will cost Rs 676 million for which the provincial government has agreed to contribute Rs 290 million.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017