There is a need for more voluntary blood donors to make the blood banks in the State meet unexpected and increasing demands, Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar has said.
He was speaking at a media workshop on Voluntary Blood Donation and Blood Safety organised by the Press Club here on Wednesday in connection with World Blood Donors Day, which is being observed on June 14.
Pointing to the rising dengue cases in the State, the Minister said timely availability of blood for patients suffering from such diseases was vital to save their lives.
He said doctors in both government and private hospitals had been issued treatment protocols for tackling dengue. “The government is taking all measures to tackle the issue, but the public should also work in tandem to prevent such diseases,” he said. Experts from the Department of Transfusion Medicine, Sri Chithra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology; and the Kerala State AIDS Control Society conducted sessions on various topics such as Procedures of Blood Transfusion, HIV and Blood Transfusion and Role of the Media. Sunil Kumar, Joint Director of Information and Education Communication, Kerala State AIDS Control Society, said that there were a number of misconceptions and a lack of awareness among the people regarding blood transfusion. “Many of them are not aware that regular donation of blood is a healthy habit and also helps to keep a check on one’s health with the mini-physical examinations that are conducted as part of blood donation,” he said.
