ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and the Federal Government Services Hospital (Polyclinic) have completed blood transfusion to 60,000 patients. The list includes Thalassemia, cancer, burns and Hepatitis patients. In a report issued by PIMS on the occasion of the World Blood Donors’ Day observed on Tuesday around the globe it is said that more than 40,000 patients were provided blood in 2015, whereas more than 10,000 patients were provided blood in the Mother and Child Hospital. Rest of the blood transfusion was done at the Children’s Hospital and Burn Centre Emergency. More than 20,000 patients were provided blood at the Polyclinic Hospital in different accident cases and those admitted to the gynaecology department. Doctor Sharif Astori in charge blood bank of Polyclinic told Daily Times that the factors responsible for low blood collection in Pakistan included lack of education and awareness about the need of safe blood in the community. He said that it was imperative to highlight the motivation of blood donation and establish blood banks in remote areas. He added that the transfusion of blood and blood products helped in saving millions of lives every year. It can help improve life expectancy and the quality of lives of patients suffering from life-threatening conditions, such as Thalassemia, haemophilia, anaemia, cancer, kidney failure, dialysis, bleeding after child birth, cardiac bypass surgery and also helped in complex medical and surgical procedures. Prof. Dr. Hassan Abbas Zaheer in charge National Coordinator Safe Blood Transfusion Programme PIMS told Daily Time that it was unfortunate that in Pakistan, the blood donation rate was 10 per cent which was sixty per cent less than other countries. “It is insufficient to meet the requirement of the country’s needs”, he added. He said that patients of public sector hospitals rely on their relatives for blood donation and during the operation the patients’ relatives arrange for blood on their own behalf, which is not good. He added that the hospitals in advanced countries’ save donors’ blood in their hospitals. Dr. Hassan Abbas Zaheer further said that to increase the numbers of donors in Pakistan more work on the government level was necessary.