Gilgit Baltistan (GB) was established as an independent province in 2009 and has with a population of 922,745. In GB, 23 public and NGO sector blood banks are functioning. There are no private blood banks in the region. ‘The GB Blood Transfusion Safety Authority Act, 2016’ is under discussion at the parliament.

The Phase I PC-1 of the province was worth 240 million (FEC 140.43, LC 100 million). In the Phase I of the project, one large modern RBC was developed in Gilgit and 6 existing HBBs in Gilgit, Hunza and other areas were upgraded and equipped through the German government grant. This infrastructure is now functional and is providing much improved services and safety standards. In the current Phase II of the project an RBC is being developed in Skardu supported by the German grant.  The Phase II PC-1 is worth 61.523 million (FEC 43.625 million, LC 17.898 million).

The Regional Blood Centre is serving as blood procurement and distribution centre, ensuring quality systems to regulate all activities. Another important role being performed by the Centre is to mobilize voluntary blood donors, collect blood donations and conduct processing, screening, testing, component preparation and storage. The RBC supplies blood and blood components to the linked hospital blood banks which are performing the function of storage, compatibility testing, haemovigilance, and issuance to the wards.

The VNRBD activities in the RBCs are becoming very frequent and gaining momentum. Regular mobile camps are being organized and ‘walk-in donors’ are increasing in numbers. The reliance on family replacement donors is gradually decreasing and the concept of VNRBD is being promoted through blood camps, seminars and other promotional activities.  

Capacity building is a continuous priority of the Programme. Since the operationalization of the RBCs, the new infrastructure has become the hub of training activities. SBTP in collaboration with RBC has organized a number of training activities for all the different levels of workers in the RBCs. The highlight of the workshops has remained the evident enthusiasm of the participants who are always most eager to learn and willing to concentrate for long hours every day in the workshop to enhance their professional skills and knowledge.