The Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) announced on Saturday that it has made progress towards establishing a plasma-farming facility (PFF) in Islamabad under a partnership with UAE.
A delegation, which included Ahmed bin Dalmook bin Juma Al Maktoum, a member of Dubai’s ruling family, and Hayat BioTech’s Chief Operations Officer, Naser Ali Khameis Alyammahi, visited Pakistan to discuss potential new ventures in health, vaccines, and research.
The group met with Prime Minister (PM), Shehbaz Sharif, Health Minister, Abdul Qadir Patel, and other officials to explore investment opportunities in vaccine development and plasmapheresis.
Sheikh Maktoum has officially inaugurated a coordination office at the Regional Blood Centre in Islamabad, aimed at creating close links with the center and the ministry.
According to a statement, the delegation has expressed interest in investing in plasma farming in Pakistan as per WHO standards. This investment will be critical since blood services in Pakistan are mainly offered by hospital blood banks, with no clear separation between the plasma processes for production and utilization.
Health Minister, Abdul Qadir Patel, lauded UAE’s offer and underlined the importance of collaboration between the two countries in the health sector, as it will bring immense relief to the people of Pakistan.
He stated that this partnership, coupled with the keen interest of the UAE in the reform of blood banking services, particularly the development of a plasma farming and harvesting facility in Pakistan, will contribute to the delivery of top-notch healthcare in the country.
There is a growing concern worldwide over the shortage of plasma, with a 20% decrease in plasma donations recorded between 2020 and 2021, and rising demand for plasma-based therapies.
Plasma plays a vital role in producing pharmaceutical products that treat rare, chronic, and potentially fatal health conditions. The plasma collection industry is rapidly growing, and the people of Pakistan are heavily dependent on plasma-based therapies to survive.
Via Dawn
