The Puducherry Government has decided to set up two more blood banks to meet with the requirement. The blood banks would be set up at the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital at Kathirgamam and the Government Women and Children Hospital at Ellaipillaichavady, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy said here on Sunday.
Speaking at the World Blood Donors Day celebrations at the Government Women and Children Hospital, he said that the Union Territory already had five blood banks in government hospitals and another 11 in the private sector.
A total of 31,725 units of blood were collected in all the blood banks in the UT this year as against 30,000 units during 2014. Blood donation is a very noble gesture as it would help save lives, he said.
The government had requisitioned the services of specialists from Chennai to perform heart surgeries at the two Government General Hospitals and the Rajiv Gandhi Government Women and Children Hospital in the city. The government was holding talks with various hospitals in Chennai, he said.
Meanwhile, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) on Sunday launched its Apheresis Donor Registry programme. Inaugurating the registry, Director of Jipmer S.C. Parija said that apheresis would be a boon especially for cancer patients who need platelet support throughout their admission.
Enrolment for the apheresis registry is purely voluntary and would go a long way in helping patients. Over 800 students of Jipmer should also be motivated to be part of a big team in donating blood, he said.
Medical Superintendent J. Balachandar said that in low-income countries, up to 65 per cent of blood transfusions are given to children under 5 years of age. This forms a very large population and blood transfusion is essential to save lives.
Jipmer launches Apheresis Donor Registry
