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SBTA flags safety risks from informal blood collection

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Regulator cites weak oversight, unsafe practices and TTI risks; vows tighter enforcement and improved screening KARACHI: Unregistered or informal blood collection activities pose a significant risk to transfusion safety in Sindh due to the absence of standardised screening, licensing and regulatory oversight, the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA) has said, highlighting continuing challenges in bringing such operators under formal regulation. In response to queries regarding blood safety and transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs), the authority’s Secretary, Dr Dur-e Naz Jamal, stated that informal collectors increase the likelihood of unsafe transfusions and heightened transmission risks, as they operate outside established quality-control systems. She acknowledged that regulating independent or informal collectors remains complex. Among the key challenges are difficulty in identifying unregistered operators, limited enforcement resources, legal constraints, and public...
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One in 20 blood donations in Sindh infected with TTIs

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SBTA data shows 5.7pc of blood donations in 2025 detected reactive for at least one infection By Mukhtar Alam KARACHI: Thousands of donated blood units in Sindh were discarded in 2025 after screening detected transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs), highlighting continuing public health challenges and gaps in safe donor recruitment, this emerged lately. Data compiled from four regional blood centres (RBCs) and blood banks registered with the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA) show that 47,375 blood units were rejected after testing positive for infections such as HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis and malaria. The figures indicate that 5.7 per cent of the 833,050 blood donations screened during the year were found reactive for at least one infection, meaning roughly one in every 20 donated blood units could not be used for transfusion. According to SBTA records, 209 licensed blood banks across Sindh collectively received 932,966 donors in 2025 -- 920,585 ma...
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Experts advise diabetic patients to seek medical guidance before fasting

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Doctors and religious scholars stress informed decision-making, warn against health risks of unsupervised fasting KARACHI: As Ramadan approaches, religious scholars and diabetes specialists have warned that fasting without proper guidance can pose serious health risks for patients with diabetes. They stressed that those medically advised not to fast should not feel guilty, as Islamic teachings provide exemptions for those whose health may be harmed. The caution came during the “Diabetes and Ramadan Patient Awareness Program” organised by the National Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology (NIDE) at Dow University of Health Sciences’ Ojha Campus. The event was chaired by NIDE Director Dr Musarrat Riaz and attended by numerous diabetic patients along with their family members. Speaking at the seminar, Dr Musarrat Riaz said the programme aimed to provide “accurate, scientific, and practical guidance” to diabetic patients regarding fasting. She highlighted the need for collaboratio...
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Karachi’s fire safety problem has many owners -II

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Focus shifts to enforcement, preparedness, and reform pathways By Mukhtar Alam KARACHI: Having outlined where fire safety frameworks repeatedly falter, stakeholders are now focusing on enforcement discipline, preparedness planning, and pathways for systemic reform. The consensus emerging from interviews suggests that technical solutions exist, but their impact hinges on regulatory continuity, institutional coordination, and governance integrity. Practical measures Zahid Farooq, Joint Director, Urban Resource Centre (URC), places the city’s fire safety crisis within the broader context of resource constraints and governance neglect, noting that fire safety is neither prioritised nor consistently discussed within city administration. He echoes the view that compensation cannot replace accountability, describing it as a temporary relief measure that may win public sympathy but does not absolve authorities of responsibility. Zahid Farooq Farooq advocates practical, citizen-orie...
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Karachi’s fire safety problem has many owners -I

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                                                                                                          A social media video grab Gul Plaza tragedy reinforces public perception that fire safety norms exist only on paper, not on the ground By Mukhtar Alam KARACHI:  As Karachi grappled with yet another deadly blaze in a congested commercial hub — drawing anger, allegations, grief, and renewed questions over failures — stakeholders are holding up mirrors, urging a pause for reflection rather than ritual outrage. The massive fire at Gul Plaza Shopping Centre on MA Jinnah Road on January 19 reportedly claimed over 70 lives, including shopkeepers and customers, leaving the multi-storey complex — housing more than 1,200 ...
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Editorial: Balancing care regulation

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Why Sindh’s healthcare oversight struggles to align standards, authority and support? A recent report published in this newspaper has drawn attention to a troubling paradox at the heart of Sindh’s healthcare regulation i.e. despite having a legal mandate for over a decade, the Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC) remains unable to effectively regulate public-sector hospitals and clinics. What was envisaged as an independent watchdog for patient safety continues to struggle with delayed administrative backing, overlapping authority, and a lack of sustained political urgency. The law itself is unambiguous. Registration and licensing are mandatory for all healthcare establishments, whether public or private. Yet, as highlighted in the report, while many private facilities—often reluctantly—enter the regulatory net, a vast majority of government-run hospitals and clinics remain outside it. This imbalance not only weakens regulatory credibility but also violates the principle of equal acc...
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Global cholera vaccination moves beyond outbreak response

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Rising global vaccine supply allows resumption of preventive campaigns after a three-year pause KARACHI: Global efforts to prevent cholera have entered a new phase as international health agencies approved the resumption of preventive oral cholera vaccination campaigns after a pause of more than three years, with Mozambique becoming the first country to restart the programme after receiving 3.6 million doses of the vaccine. According to a joint announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF, annual global production of oral cholera vaccine (OCV) has nearly doubled — from 35 million doses in 2022 to almost 70 million doses in 2025 — easing shortages that had forced health authorities worldwide to largely restrict vaccination to outbreak response. The vaccines are financed by Gavi and procured and delivered by UNICEF through the global stockpile. A first allocation of 20 million doses has been approved for preventive campaigns in three...
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