Karnataka - Bangalore

All taluk hospitals to have blood storage facilities

Staff Reporter

A sum of Rs. 10 lakh earmarked for the project, says Health Minister R. Ashok

BANGALORE: All taluk hospitals in the State would have facilities to store blood by the year-end, said Minister for Health and Family Welfare R. Ashok here on Monday.

"We will have 100 per cent availability of the facilities in the 100 taluk hospitals by the year-end," said Mr. Ashok at an event organised by the Karnataka chapter of the Indian Red Cross Society to celebrate World Red Cross Day.

He said that Rs. 10 lakh had been earmarked for this project.

Several pregnant women suffered because of the absence of such facilities in taluk hospitals, he said.

Some of them even died at the operation theatre because of blood loss, he said.

At present, five district hospitals did not have such a facility.

Mr. Ashok said the Red Cross Society had an important role to play in propagating awareness on issues such as blood donation and disaster management.

The Health Minister donated blood at a camp organised by the Red Cross Society before the start of the event.

Awareness

Governor T.N. Chaturvedi said more people needed to be brought into the spectrum of voluntary work. The Governor said more awareness needed to be created on the work done by the Red Cross Society.

Mr. Chaturvedi presented awards to Mallikarjuna V. Jalli, diabetologist from Belgaum, H.V. Giriswamy Rasthapura Math, ophthalmic surgeon from Shimoga district, N.G. Narayana, retired Health and Family Welfare Officer from Udupi, and Lakshminarayanappa, tahsildar from Kadur taluk, for their contribution to the Karnataka chapter of Red Cross Society.

Award

The best district awards were presented to members from Tumkur, Belgaum, Shimoga, Mandya, Udupi, Haveri and Kodagu districts.

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