With the aim to promote scientific production and support national experts, the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization (IBTO) plans to purchase equipment from two domestic science-based companies, said Dr Aliakbar Pourfathollah, head of IBTO. “The equipment worth $1.7 million (70 billion rials) includes blood cold chain (a system for proper storing and transporting blood), and refrigeration with temperature of ?40°C for storage of platelet,” IRNA quoted him as saying. The funds will be provided by both IBTO (70%) and the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology (30%). Over 2.1 million blood units are donated to the IBTO every year and its annual capacity has currently reached 400,000 liters of plasma production.
