Blood availability still a problem in villages

February 26, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 12:23 pm IST - VISAKHAPATNAM:

Demand-supply gap with regard to blood needed for transfusion for needy patients is wide with only 80 per cent of the requirement being met and it is a bigger problem in rural areas which hardly have blood banks.

To overcome this problem, Lions Club of Visakhapatnam Blood Bank Trust managing trustee N.V.N. Durgaprasad Rao has suggested that blood storage centres be located in some of the Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in rural areas so that blood could be rushed to the needy patients in critical time.

At present there is only one blood bank outside Visakhapatnam -- at Anakapalle’s NTR Area Hospital, only one in Srikakulam town as far as Srikakulam district is concerned and two in Vizianagaram district, both in urban area.

When blood is needed for a patient in a village or a rural town it takes about four hours to reach him or her and this time gap is huge as far as treatment is concerned, Prof. Durgaprasad Rao has told The Hindu .

Only the State government can set up and operate blood storage centres as it can utilise the PHCs and also allot two technicians to run them, according to Prof. Durgaprasad Rao.

Voluntary blood bank trusts are not able to open blood banks in rural areas because at least Rs. 1 crore is needed towards equipment in addition to the maintenance cost and appointment of qualified and trained persons. Besides, stringent measures to run a blood bank in rural area like uninterrupted power supply, rooms with adequate area, performing tests, etc. have to be met and this is not possible in a rural area.

On an average more than 300 units of blood are needed in Visakhapatnam and all over India the deficit is 20 per cent.

Storage period allowed for the blood is 35 days but 99 per cent of the blood collected and cleared for transfusion is used. In India only Gujarat and West Bengal states, the demand for blood is being met.

Voluntary blood banks collect blood from donors and also by participating in the voluntary blood donation camps.

Each blood bank has to hand over 30 per cent of the units of blood collected to the blood bank at King George Hospital.

No hike in charges

Though NACO has proposed increase in charges for testing of blood at blood banks, the Lions Blood Bank has not hiked it, says Prof. Durgaprasad Rao.

Separation unit opened

Berry J Palmer, immediate past international president, Kions Clubs International Foundation, went round the club’s blood bank in the city after inaugurating the Lions Blood Component Separation Unit on Wednesday.

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