Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Mobile blood banks across the State planned

CHENNAI: The State government has proposed to set up six mobile blood banks across the State, said Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society’s project director Supriya Sahu.

At a continuing medical education programme organised by TANSACS and the Department of Transfusion Medicine of Government Stanley Medical College, she said 82 per cent of the blood procured by blood banks in the State was through voluntary donations.

The State stood second in voluntary blood donation, next only to West Bengal. To improve the quality of blood, component centres would be established in six government teaching medical institutions taking the total to 12 such centres across the State, she said.

Ms. Sahu urged hospital authorities to present a proposal to the State government to set up a pilot project for nucleic acid testing that would provide the results of test for infection in two days.

The mobile blood bank in Madras Medical College to which the Government General Hospital is attached would shortly roll out it’s mobile unit.

Stanley has been awarded for three consecutive years for its work in blood collection and testing. This year it was presented an award for its research work.

The blood collected at the hospital is only through voluntary donations, said N. Rajakumar, head of the department. At present, the collected blood is tested for malaria, HIV, Hepatitis B and C and Syphilis.

The CME programme was meant for postgraduates, house surgeons, students and doctors to sensitise them to the rational use of blood.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu