KARACHI: Health experts have stressed the need to screen blood using highest standard methods to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs).
Addressing a public awareness seminar held to mark World Hepatitis Day by Husaini Haematology and Oncology Trust (HHOT), experts said that the Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) is a highly sensitive and advanced technique, which has reduced the window period – the time between potential exposure to infections and the point when the test will give accurate results, of TTIs thereby increasing the safety of blood transfusion.
“All registered blood banks should be encouraged to use NAT to improve screening standards in the province.”
Prevention & Control of Hepatitis Program Manager Dr Zulfiqar Dharejo and Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority Secretary Dr Zahid Ansari attended the seminar as the chief guest and the guest of honour, respectively.
Other speakers included Prof Syed Muhammad Irfan, Department of Haematology head at the Liaquat National Medical College Hospital, Dr S Sarfaraz H Jafry, senior transfusion physician at HHOT, chief pathologist Dr Agha Umer Daraz Khan and senior pathologists Dr Ashraf Memon. HHOT Chief Executive Officer Asad Ali and CFO Syed Jibran Ahmed also spoke on the occasion.
Prof Syed Muhammad Irfan talked about thalassaemia diagnosis, treatment and prevention. He said that blood screening was a very vital process for survival of thalassaemia patients. Techniques of screening of blood donors should be done at high standards like NAT being the most modern tool.
Dr Agha Umer Draz Khan said that NAT was a molecular technique for screening blood donations to reduce the risk of TTIs.
He said that NAT was introduced in the developed countries in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Japanese Red Cross Society started NAT screening for HBV, HCV, and HIV in July, 1999 while Australia started it in June 2000. Almost 33 countries in the world have implemented NAT for HIV, 27 countries for HBV and most of developed countries are doing NAT for HBV, HCV, HIV+1& HIV-11, he added.
“NAT greatly helps to reduce window period as it is a highly sensitive and advanced technique. As per different studies, it has reduced the window period of HBV to 10.34 days, HCV to 1.34 days and HIV to 2.93 days,” he mentioned.
He urged the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority to advice all registered blood banks to start using the latest technique to provide safest blood to recipients.
Dr Ashraf Memon told doctors about interpretation of markers of hepatitis with special emphasis on HBV.
Dr Sarfaraz Jafry delivered a presentation on safe blood transfusion. “Blood components should be used rationally as irrational use of blood transfusion creates complication for patients. Mass awareness is very much needed in general public at large and specifically in healthcare providers,” he stressed.
Prof Syed Muhammad Irfan spoke about the review of thalassaemia in Pakistan and status of hepatitis in thalassaemic patients.
Chief guest Dr Zulfiqar Dharejo said that hepatitis patients were being provided free diagnosis and complete treatment. “As many as 75 sites are functioning in the province where facilities of screening and diagnosis are available. PCR is also being provided free of charge,” he added.
He announced that a treatment site at Husaini head office would soon provide therapy for hepatitis patients till the registration process was completed. He asked management to share patients’ list.
Dr Zahid Ansari said that the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority would advice regional blood centres to adopt NAT. “Two of four regional blood centres are already functional while remaining two will start in one month,” he added.
Published in Daily Times, August 9th 2018.