Red-tapism hits centralised blood bank proposal

ALUVA: The World Blood Donor Day was observed by the Regional Blood Transfusion Centre of the District Hospital in Aluva by holding a blood donation camp at St. Xavier’s College, Aluva on Tuesday.Anwar Sadath MLA inaugurated the programme. Municipal chairman M T Jacob presided over the function. Medical Officer in-charge Dr N Vijayakumar led the camp. Laminated blood group identity cards and donor cards were distributed to 61 donors on Tuesday. A seminar on ‘blood and organ donation’ was also held in this connection.Meanwhile, the proposal for a centralised blood-transfusion system with three regional centres submitted by Dr N Vijayakumar, Medical Officer in-charge of Regional Blood Transfusion Centre, is allegedly caught in red-tapism at the Department of Health and Family Welfare. The centralised blood transfusion system would avoid the need for replacement, improve the quality of screening tests, ensure better condition of storage and maintenance of cold chain during transport and removes the disparity in the charges levied for blood and blood products, it is learnt. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported that India required no fewer than seven million units of blood every year. Only half of the total requirement is currently being met, leaving millions of less fortunate to the mercy of fate. Voluntary blood donation in the state is put at 32 percent of the total demand.