A state-of-the-art blood transfusion center will be established in Islamabad. This was decided by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) meeting held at the Planning Commission of Pakistan chaired by the Deputy Chairman, Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan.
Ministry of National Health Services presented the project, namely “Establishment of Safe Blood Transfusion Services in ICT,” with the cost estimates of Rs. 528.383 million. The overall project objective is the establishment of a state-of-the-art Regional Blood Centre (RBC) in Islamabad to provide safe blood and blood products to the linked hospital blood banks of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).
The project aims the elimination of duplication of services, improving efficiency and cost-effectiveness by placing hospital blood banks under RBC-3 Islamabad for the supply of safe blood products. The project will also increase voluntary non-remunerated blood donation (VNRBD) from 12 percent (estimated) to 1000% in a phased manner, including conversion of replacement/family donors to regular blood donors and ensuring rational use of blood and blood products. The project is proposed to be financed through foreign funding (KFW grant) and PSDP. CDWP approved the project and would be included in the next PSDP.
CDWP also approved another project worth Rs. 191.19 billion and recommended it to ECNEC to supply bulk water under “Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme K-IV 650 MGD (1st Revised),” presented by the Ministry of Water Resources.
Earlier K-IV project was to supply 260 MGD water to Karachi at the cost of Rs. 126 billion. A committee was constituted to settle issues before submission to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for further approval. Deputy Chairman Planning Commission emphasized that there is a severe water shortage in Karachi, and therefore the project needs to be carried out on a fast-track basis.
Secretary Planning, Abdul Aziz Uqaili, senior officials from Planning Commission, and Federal Ministries/Divisions also participated in the meeting, while representatives from provincial governments participated through video conferences.
CDWP cleared two position papers worth Rs. 3176.284 million. The first position paper was presented by the Ministry of Federal Education, namely “Establishment of Directorate General of Religious Education,” worth Rs. 1253.420 million, and the second position paper was presented by the Ministry of Information Technology, namely “Cyber Security for Digital Pakistan Phase-1 ICT,” worth Rs. 1922.864 million.
