Hemovigilance (HV) in form of a structured surveillance system of the entire blood chain, is a powerful quality tool: it helps increase safety and improve quality during blood donation and blood transfusion, from the blood donor to recipient of blood and blood components. For the moment, HV is practically inexistent in Pakistan and is totally absent in an organised and managed way. It is recognized that the implementation of HV in Pakistan will need a major effort and will take time (years and years). It will be a stepwise or staged approach, starting from institutional to provincial levels and ending at central level.
Establishment of Hospital Transfusion Committees in hospitals is the first step to be taken in this regard. The Authority has requested all hospitals in Punjab to form Hospital Transfusion Committees. The 12 project-affiliated hospital in Multan and Bahawalpur have already formed these committees, which have also been trained by the Authority in collaboration with the German Organization (GIZ). In addition, many hospitals in Lahore and some in other districts have also formed these committees. The Hospital Transfusion Committees in Lahore have also been trained by the Authority in collaboration with the German Organization (GIZ).
It is expected that these Hospital Transfusion Committees will form liaison bodies with the Blood Transfusion Authority to compile hemovigilance data. In addition, these hospital transfusion committees will ensure clinical governance at the hospital level by performing audit of the use of blood in hospitals in order to ensure its rational use. Moreover, these bodies will work towards increasing blood safety at the level of hospitals and solve blood safety related issues.