PRCS Blood Programme was reviewed in 1998. Motivation/Education was selected as the focus.

In 1999 & 2000, Message was developed. Programme was based on Quran/Hadees. IEC Material on Blood Safety, Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Nutrition/Hygiene and importance of physical health was developed and distributed.

In 2001 the Programme included: -
==> Advocacy for inclusion of Safe Blood in school syllabus.
==> Preparation of text on Safe Blood as Teacher's guide.
==> PRCS High School Partnership Programme for implementation of above through Voluntary Blood Donation Society which requires School/Teachers & parents to work together for awareness in Blood Safety.
PRCS role was supportive and in providing all the IEC material and guidelines.

• EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE
Being the largest humanitarian organization of the country, Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) Blood Donor Centre (BDC) took the lead by effectively responding to the devastating october 8, 2005 earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 on a Rector Scale that killed thousands of people and hundreds of thousands of people injured besides affecting millions. The PRCS Blood Donor Centre was actively involved in fulfilling the blood needs of the victims of earthquake admitted in the designated hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The PRCS BDC staff immediately after the earthquake arranged two blood camps, one in front of Margalla Tower and the 2nd in PRCS Blood Donor Centre. In order to provide maximum medical support to the quake affectees, the PRCS BDC launched an appeal for voluntary blood donation. People from all walks of life especially students came in large numbers, even form other cities to donate blood. BDC collected and distributed more than 4000 blood units to twenty (20) designated hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and airlift of blood to Muzaffarabad.
Blood Collection
Total Blood Collection = 4285
Whole Blood = 3917
Packed RBC = 368
Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) = 368
Types of Donors
Voluntary Unpaid Blood Donors = 3485
Replacement Donors = 454
Repeat Donors = 346
Deferrals = 4438
Male Donors = 3428
Female Donors = 857
Distribution
Total Blood Distribution = 4143
Whole Blood = 3793
PRBC = 350
FFP = 350
Highlights of Blood Collection and Distribution during October 8 Earthquake
1. PRCS BDC has the capacity to collect, group, screen and distribute more than 100 units of blood per day.
2. Request for all blood groups and FFPs from all hospitals of the twin cities including AJK and Abbottabad met on immediate basis.
3. No complaints regarding quality of blood bag from any hospital of the twin cities.
4. 71 units blood for Muzaffarabad (AJK) airlifted with AFIT support.
5. First 100 units of blood issued to AFIT.
6. Rare blood groups available at all time.
7. All SOP’s adhered to and quality of blood bags maintained.
8. No expiry of blood on the shelf.
9. Successful networking with Voluntary Blood Donor Organizations and comprehensive networking with all blood banks of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
10. Highest Voluntary Blood Donations are from Mohammad Ali Jinnah University (MAJU), Punjab College of Commerce (PCC), FAST University, NUML etc.

• PRCS Awareness / Motivation / Donor Recruitment Program

PRCS in collaboration with the Federal Directorate of Education had successfully launched a school based Blood Safety Education Program called “Society for Awareness of Blood Safety (SABS)” implemented from January 2003 till to date in 100 urban and rural schools of Islamabad targeting youth ages 14-16 years. There are total of 30,000 beneficiaries of the program. The program aims at developing volunteers for community services and to prepare the future generation of Educated Voluntary Un-paid Blood Donors (VUBD) who will respond fearlessly to fulfill the community needs for blood.
The SABS program has received a very enthusiastic response from the school principals, teachers and students. Most commonly heard phrase is "why didn't you do it earlier?" and "no one has spoken to us like this before".
The feed back of the SABS Program shows great demand for the continuation of the initiative by the beneficiaries (teachers and students). Monitoring of the program shows excellent results and the teachers are asking for it and considering it important for addressing the fears and health concerns of the youth and parents. For the promotion of healthy lifestyles and voluntary blood donation, the PRCS aims to carry the SABS program forward to higher educational level in the form of “PRCS Youth Health Safety Clubs”.
For increasing blood collection, awareness campaigns are conducted and mobile blood camps held in colleges, universities, institutes, organizations and markets. There are 200,000 beneficiaries annually in awareness.

The International Colloquium on "Recruitment of Voluntary Non-remunerated Blood Donors" was organized by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in support of Pan American Health Organization hosted by the Chilean Red Cross from 20-24th March 2006. 273 participants from 73 countries attended the colloquium.
The aim of these colloquia is to bring people together who are responsible for the recruitment of voluntary blood donors (i.e. unpaid, altruistic blood donors). One of the short-term goals of this colloquium is to consolidate existing partnerships and establish new working relationships between those who are tasked with the recruitment and motivation of voluntary non-remunerated blood donors. The longer-term goal is also related to partnerships in a much broader sense.
The topics covered by the colloquium are as follows:
1. How to setup and manage “Club 25”
2. Why Voluntary Blood Donation
3. World Blood Donor’s Day
4. Blood Donor satisfaction service
5. Impact of medical exclusion on First-time donors
6. Managing donors: First-time versus Repeat
7. Analysis of blood drives
8. Case study on donor motivation
9. Case study on Moving from family/replacement donations to altruistic donations
10. Blood Sweat and Tears… It takes time
11. Promotion of Voluntary Blood Donation in hospital environment
12. Value of education for future donors
13. Disaster management
14. Building a new society through blood donation
15. Recommendations

World Blood Donor day was commemorated on 14th June’2006 in a global celebration to honor and thank voluntary un-paid blood donors who make safe quality blood available for the needy and poor people and to encourage regular blood donation. The Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in collaboration and financial support of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has celebrated the event on the same day with the main focus on Blood Safety awareness and importance of Voluntary Unpaid Blood Donation.
Aim
Honoring and thanking blood donors by marking “World Blood Donor Day (WBDD)” with the rest of the world community.
Objective
Enhancing awareness amongst youth and masses for Blood Safety and importance and promotion of Voluntary Unpaid Blood Donation for saving precious lives.
Activities
Blood Donor Centre of PRCS, National Headquarter under took the following activities to commemorate the event:

12th June 2006
1 300 Banners with the logo and theme of World Blood Donor Day 2006 and a message “Thank You! Voluntary Blood Donors” were displayed along the main roads of Islamabad from 12th June to 14th June 2006.

13th June 2006
2 Banners with the logo and theme “Celebrating your gift of Blood” were displayed along the main roads of Islamabad.
3 An Article on World Blood Donor Day was published in the daily “The News” and was highly appreciated by the National Aids Control Program.
4 A team from GEO TV visited Blood Donor Centre to film the laboratory and other parts of BDC.
5 Deputy Director, BDC and Mr. Niaz Nadeem, Blood Camp Coordinator participated in a talk show on FM 100 promoting and thanking Voluntary Unpaid Blood Donors.

14th June 2006
6 Brig (r) Khalid Kibriya, Secretary General PRCS, Dr. Asma Pervaiz Cheema, DD BDC and Voluntary Blood Donor, Mrs. Ayesha Baig participated in a World Blood Donor Day program in PTV News Morning Transmission from 08:40 – 09:00 am.
7 Team members from APNA, ATV and ARY channels visited BDC. The highlights of visit were the recording of blood donation process, interviews of Secretary General, DD BDC, AD BDC, Motivators and Voluntary Blood Donors regarding importance of celebrating the event and blood safety awareness.
8 Many blood donors came to PRCS BDC and donated blood. 15 people show their dedication to donate blood but only 10 were able to donate while the remaining 05 were deferred due to their poor health status.
9 Secretary General presented a shield, gift and flowers to the voluntary blood donor, Mrs. Ayesha Baig who donated blood for the 40th time.
10 Mr. Dawar Adnan Shams, BPO, Mr. Niaz Nadeem, Blood Camp Coordinator and MR. Aamir Nisar, Motivator participated in a talk show on FM 99 promoting and thanking Voluntary Unpaid Blood Donors from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
11 Dr. Ghulam Murtaza Qureshi participated in the “Jung” Open Forum. Other participants include Dr. Arshad Rana, President Pakistan Medical Association, Dr. Syed Rafaqat Ali Jaffery, Director Noori Hospital and Amjad Ali, Blood Donor. The point of focus was the importance of World Blood Donor Day and promotion of Voluntary Blood Donation.

 

Dr. Tahira Zafar, Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi has been appointed as Consultant Technical Advisor to the PRCS Blood Bank.

• PRCS Diagnostic Laboratory

A Diagnostic Laboratory has been working since 20th December, 2003 in expansion of PRCS Anti Hepatitis Campaign.
• MAIN BENEFICIARY
The main beneficiaries are the sufferers of Haemophilia, Cancer, Liver Failure, Renal Failure, complication of pregnancy and Thallasaemia.
• TRAINING PROGRAM
Mr Muhammad Taj (Lab Technician) was sent to Shifa International Hospitals for a period of two weeks on a training program regarding Blood Banking procedures.

Mr. Ghulam Sarwar, Mr. Muhammad Niaz Nadeem, Mr. Muhammad Taj, Mr. Naeem Farooq, Mr. Iftikhar Ahmad and Mr. Mohi-ud-Din attended a 02 months Computer Training Program, December 2003 - February, 2004.
03 BDC employees Mr. Iftikhar Ahmad, Mr. Mohi-ud-Din and Mr. Azhar Mehmood attended a First Aid Training Course in June, 2004 as a part of Disaster Preparedness Program.

• FREE DISTRIBUTION OF FEFAN TABLETS AND COPY OF HOLY QURAN
Distribution of the Holy Quran was highly appreciated by the public as they could link their priceless donation with this priceless gift.
Amson Pharmaceutical played an important role to improve the general health of the public by providing free Iron and Folic acid tablets for distribution. BDC has distributed more than 0.1 million tablets in year 2005, in which 80% tablets were given to Voluntary Blood Donors and the remaining 20% tablets were given to temporary deferrals as part of 'Management of Deferrals'