With 3.5% of the population in Karnataka suffering from blood cell disorders, the State government is setting up a division for such disorders under the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare.
The division that will function under the National Health Mission (NHM) will monitor the screening and treatment of persons suffering from blood cell disorders, including thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia, and haemophilia.
State nodal officer for the division Swatantra Kumar Banakar told The Hindu that initially a day-care centre would be set up in all district and teaching hospitals. Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute and the district hospital in Davangere have been identified as nodal centres where laboratories would be set up for diagnosis of blood cell disorders.
As patients require continuous treatment, the government would make available drugs and blood components for free in all district hospitals. Besides this, jurisdictional private hospitals would be linked to district hospitals so that drugs and blood components could be utilised for needy patientsDr. Banakar said.
Blood storage units
Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Shalini Rajneesh said blood storage units would be set up in all taluk hospitals.
“We have instructed all blood banks in the districts to increase their blood collection through donation camps to meet the demand. Besides this, blood transfusion units will be established in 10 district hospitals at a cost of ₹6 crore to cater to the needs of patients suffering from dengue, malaria, and other vector-borne diseases,” she added.
