TransFusion 2023 Conference – Revitalizing Blood Banking in Pakistan Groundbreaking International Conference

The Indus Hospital & Health Network successfully conducted “TransFusion 2023” from October 28-29, 2023, a monumental conference to commemorate the remarkable strides made in blood safety in Pakistan through the enduring partnership between Germany and Pakistan. This event was endorsed and collaborated by International Society of Blood Transfusion, Asian Association of Blood Banks, Turkish Blood Foundation, and the Pakistan Society of Haematology. National and international speakers from World Health Organization, International Society of Blood Transfusion, USA, Türkiye and Iran enlightened the delegates with their expertise and insights. More than 250 delegates from all across Pakistan participated in this conference. Dr. Zafar Mirza, Former State Minister of Health and Former Director, Health System Development, WHO, graced the occasion as Chief Guest and His Excellency, the Ambassador of Germany to Pakistan, Mr. Alfred Grannas, honored the occasion as a Guest of Honor. President, IHHN, Dr. Abdul Bari Khan, Senior Director, Indus Hospital Blood Transfusion Services, Dr. Saba Jamal, Head of Blood Transfusion Services, IHHN, Dr. Shabneez Hussain and CEO, IHHN, Dr. Zafar Zaidi were also present at the occasion.

Dr. Abdul Bari Khan, while speaking at the occasion, said, “Let us remember that our work has a profound impact on the lives of individuals and the well-being of our society as a whole. We must work together, push the boundaries of science, and extend our expertise to those in need and help make blood transfusion safe, more accessible, and more efficient”.

Dr. Zafar Mirza, while acknowledging the efforts of the Government of Germany, said, “The bilateral relations are wide-reaching and long-standing and that these will continue with the same spirit” His Excellency, the Ambassador of Germany to Pakistan, Mr. Alfred Grannas, honored the occasion as a Guest of Honor.

This event marked a historic occasion to reflect on the transformative impact of centralized blood transfusion system in Pakistan, envisioning a future where safe blood is accessible to a wider population in Pakistan. Since the inception in 2007 of the Pak-German Joint Safe Blood Transfusion Project, the blood transfusion landscape in Pakistan has undergone a major transformation with a paradigm shift towards centralized, and cohesive blood transfusion services.

Mr. Alfred Grannas highlighted that a substantial financial commitment of €25 million from the German Development Bank (KfW) between 2010 and 2023 established 15 Regional Blood Centers and equipped 84 Hospital Blood Banks nationwide. This investment in infrastructure and technology has significantly enhanced the capacity and efficiency of blood transfusion services across the country, while the invaluable technical cooperation of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) from 2009 to 2016 propelled supportive legislative reforms and the establishment and activation of Provincial Blood Transfusion Authorities. In pursuit of optimizing service delivery structures, Public-Private Partnerships were initiated in Punjab and Sindh, bringing together the respective provincial governments and private partners such as IHHN, Sukkur Blood Bank and Fatimid Foundation. These pivotal changes have set the stage for a more organized and efficient blood transfusion system in Pakistan.

Dr. Abdul Bari Khan, emphasized that, “Today, Indus Hospital & Health Network stands at the forefront of centralized blood banking in Pakistan, through the largest network of its kind in the country. With 4 Regional Blood Centers and 21 Hospital Blood Banks spanning across Punjab and Sindh, the network annually serves 7,825 hospital beds, providing life-saving blood to approximately 700,000 patients”. This achievement is a testament to the unwavering commitment of Indus Hospital & Health Network in ensuring the availability of safe blood for all.

At the conference, Dr. Mahtab Maghsudlu, Vice President, Research & Education, High Institution for Research & Education in Transfusion Medicine, Iran highlighted Iran’s remarkable transition towards a 100% voluntary blood donation system, along with the advancements in voluntary blood donation in Türkiye, and the ongoing progress and challenges in Pakistan’s voluntary blood donation initiatives were highlighted. Distinguished experts at the conference delivered insights on pivotal topics, including the role of plasma fractionation in enhancing national transfusion systems, enabling self-sufficiency in plasma-derived medicines for low and middle-income countries, and the strategies to ensure universal access to safe plasma proteins. The strategic directions for shaping the future of blood banking in Pakistan were discussed, including establishing a rare blood inventory, regulatory and resource requirements for indigenous blood bank reagent production, and developing and implementing standards for quality blood banking in Pakistan.

A panel discussion on the challenges in safe blood banking in the public & private sector in Pakistan featured an esteemed lineup of panelists from across Pakistan. Together, they engaged in a comprehensive discussion on the challenges and complexities faced in ensuring safe blood banking practices in both the public and private sectors within Pakistan.

Lifetime Achievement award was presented to Dr. Hassan Abbas Zaheer for recognition of his services for safe blood transfusion in Pakistan. Prof. Hasan Abbas Zaheer has an impressive track record, having served as the former National Coordinator for the Safe Blood Transfusion Program and Chairman of the Islamabad Blood Transfusion Authority. In addition to this, he has held the position of Head of the Pathology Department at PIMS in Islamabad. His remarkable career also includes distinguished service as the National Program Manager for the National AIDS Control Program under the Ministry of Health in Pakistan.

Presently, he serves as an Advisor to the World Health Organization’s ‘Global Advisory Group on Blood Regulation, Availability & Safety’. Lifetime service award was presented to Ms. Elaine Williamson for her exceptional dedication and voluntarism towards capacity building for blood banking in Pakistan. Ms. Elaine Williamson, an American Specialist in Blood Banking, generously offered her time and expertise to collaborate for capacity development with the team of Blood Transfusion Services, now at Indus Hospital and Health Network’s Blood Transfusion Services. She played a pivotal role in transforming our current technical managers into master trainers, laying the foundation for modernizing and radically improving all the processes for safe blood transfusion, from donor’s vein to patient’s vein. This endeavor laid the groundwork for Pakistan’s pioneering centralized, voluntary donor reliant blood center, materializing in 2013 as The Indus Hospital Blood Center.

The conference concluded with a firm commitment by the blood transfusion community to unite and take a leadership role in the universal implementation of concrete measures ensuring the availability of safe blood for all, in Pakistan.