Anaesthetist in SBTP (Safe Blood Transfusion Programme)

‘Safe blood transfusion’ is a worldwide slogan. Aneasthetist may play a very important role in implementing the programme. Blood transfusion has undoubted benefits but carries serious risks of transfusion transmitted diseases. So collection of safe, able and low risk donor and rational use of blood are the fundamental responsibilities of the concerned authorities. In Bangladesh about 2.5 Lac units of blood is required yearly. Efficacy of transmission of HIV through contaminated blood is almost 100%. Paid blood donors share the major portion (70%) of collected blood in the country suffering from hepatitis-B (29%), hepatitis-C ( 6%), syphilis (22%) significantly. Most of the blood used in the hospitals and clinics actually under the shadow prescription of anaesthetist. The blood demand for perioperative surgical patients and ICU encompasses about 60% of the total blood consumption in hospitals and clinics from both Govt and non Govt sectors which means actually total national consumption. No blood is screened as mandatory in either system: Govt and other non-govt hospitals before the Safe Blood Transfusion Programme (BGD/97/005) under H.P.S.P (1998-2003). As a consequence of which major portion of blood are transfused unscreened risking the recipients to many diseases like AIDS, viral hepatitis, syphilis, malaria and others under the SBTP total of 97 screening centres (Medical college & hospitals, district hospitals, armed forces hospitals and some specialised hospitals) in whole Bangladesh are ear marked with facilities for screening at least five transfusion transmitted vulnerable diseases like HIV, HBV, HCV, syphilis and malaria. So blood which has not been obtained from appropriately selected donors and/or which has not been appropriately screened for infectious agents should not be transfused at all. As the anaesthetist is the peri operative prescriber of most blood transfusion and in the ICU as a critical care physician has very important role in the safe and rational use of blood. Review Article