The Blood Bank at the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) run by the Red Cross Society would have a blood separation unit soon. The State Government has already sanctioned Rs28 lakh for the purpose, informed blood bank officer Dr Mahesh Biswal.
While the DHH blood bank requires around 12,000 to 13,000 units per annum yet a shortfall of about 2,000 to 3,000 units is experienced every year despite camp collections and voluntary donations.The scarcity of blood, particularly of the rare groups, is being experienced during rainy seasons.About 370 thalassemia, cancer and HIV patients receive blood at regular intervals from this blood bank.The blood bank supplies blood to the storage centres at Soro, Basta and Jaleswar. The Nilgiri sub-divisional blood bank has stopped functioning owing to technical reasons, said sources.
Under the separation process blood is separated by configuration. The heavier blood cells and platelets are separated from the lighter plasma in the rapid punning process. Plasma, the liquid part of blood, can be dried into a powder or frozen. Fresh frozen plasma and freeze-dried preparations containing clotting factors are used to treat patients with hemophilia.Blood separation units are now operating in blood banks at Cuttack, Angul, Capital Hospital and Municipality Hospital in Bhubaneswar apart from three medical colleges.
Talking about the need of blood separation unit, Dr Biswal said, “The blood consumption would reduce about 30 percent after installation of a blood separation unit. Most donated blood can be separated into its component, plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet, before being stored. The pack cell and other components required for other patients can be utilised from a single unit blood.”
He said the preservation period of the blood can go up by few more days than the normal preservation.The equipment will be installed with the help of the Nacco, which has a major share in it. The things have been in the process for the last two years, he said.