Syphilis among blood donors ‘on the rise’ in Sindh
Experts urge stronger screening, public awareness, and policy action By Mukhtar Alam KARACHI: A report by the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA) has raised alarm over significant prevalence of syphilis among blood donors across the province as the 2024 data shows 1.16% of the total 10,851 screened donors tested positive for the sexually transmitted infection. The highest infection rate was recorded at the Regional Blood Centre (RBC) in Sukkur (2.7%), followed by Shaheed Benazirabad (2.5%), and Jamshoro and Karachi (1.6% each). Overall, the SBTA recorded 13,800 transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) among voluntary and replacement donors in 2024 — a drop from 18,414 cases in 2023. Despite the decline, syphilis cases increased proportionally -- 25.48% of all TTIs, up from 24.39% the previous year. Other TTI rates included hepatitis C (1.9%), hepatitis B (1.5%), HIV (0.1%), and malaria (0.1%). Keen observers are worried that the data highlights potential gaps in scr...