In the run-up to the World Patient Safety Day to be observed on September 17, the TPAG ((Thalassemia Patients Advocacy Group) has stressed on the importance of safe blood transfusion for everyone and more so for thalassemics, cancer patients and dialysis recipients.

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TPAG has emphasised upon safety in blood transfusion more for regular recipients of blood who run the risk of even losing their lives if exposed to transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs). "Thalassemics India is extremely proud to have undertaken the pioneering initiative of creating a body like TPAG. In doing this, we have fully empowered qualified and informed patient advocates to take forward the journey of not only protecting the interests of thalassemics but also of establishing the importance of patient participation in policy making. We stand right behind them in their path-breaking efforts related to patient safety", said the Co-Founder & President, Thalassemics India.

A recent report released by NACO reveals that 14,474 cases of HIV have been caused due to unsafe blood transfusion in India. Being a vital healthcare resource, blood is routinely used in a broad range of hospital procedures and therefore, such TTIs can happen to
anyone who, for some medical reason, undergoes a blood transfusion. It may be possible for an otherwise normal mother to come back home with a TTI like HCV, HBV or HIV after delivering a baby, just because she had to undergo a transfusion around the delivery time.

"Safe blood is one of our focus areas and we are committed to partnering policy makers in propagating, implementing and advocating
best practices related to blood in India. In our efforts, we will try to address some difficult questions- Can a patient getting transfusion in Jharkhand get a different quality of blood than one sitting in Bengaluru? Is there a golden standard for blood screening across India or a mechanism that allows one blood bank to pick a screening method different from another blood bank and do blood banks need to keep in mind repeat recipients of blood while making these choices? And, should patients move from a safer technology to a less safe technology due to compulsions of COVID-19?" said a legal and policy advocacy professional and Member Secretary of TPAG.