Blood banks in Coimbatore district did not face shortage during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing second wave, according to an official from the District AIDS Control Unit (DAPCU).
The four government blood banks at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH), the Government Medical College and ESI Hospital, the Government Hospital, Mettupalayam, and the Government Hospital, Pollachi, alone received 10,925 units of blood from donors last year.
Besides, the district has 17 private blood banks, seven government-run blood storage units and one blood component separation unit.
“The pandemic situation did not result in shortage of blood in the district. Though colleges and companies remained closed due to the lockdown, regular donors provided blood,” said DAPCU Programme Manager D. Gopalakrishnan.
He said that a counsellor of DAPCU was posted at the CMCH to coordinate blood donation activities.
In view of the pandemic, DAPCU said persons aged between 18 and 60 could donate blood 14 days after taking the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Similarly, they could get vaccinated three days after donating blood.
Coimbatore District Collector S. Nagarajan, City Police Commissioner Deepak M. Damor, West Zone Inspector General of Police R. Sudhakar, Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner Raja Gopal Sunkara, Coimbatore Range Deputy Inspector General of Police M.S. Muthusamy and Coimbatore Rural Superintendent of Police S. Selvanagarathinam donated blood on the occasion of World Blood Donor Day at CMCH on Monday.
CMCH Dean A. Nirmala, District Blood Transfusion Officer A. Mangayarkarasi and DAPCU staff were present.
