Health sector support program: Safe blood transfusion
In the past, blood transfusion services in Pakistan were not organized or regulated on a consistent basis. An unknown number of blood banks operated independently without registration, quality standards or regulations. The level of training of staff entrusted with handling blood varied significantly. Therefore, the government adopted a national framework plan for blood transfusion services. GFA assisted the government in reforming and restructuring the organizational setup. GFA experts assisted the Ministry of Health in the safe provision and use of blood and blood products, and the related harmonization with European Union legislation. Inter alia, they developed a database for the national blood program, and technical infrastructure for an effective implementation.