The State Government on Thursday introduced the nucleic acid amplification test (NAT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system for blood test at the Capital Hospital here and the three Government-run medical college hospitals.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak opened the facility at the Capital Hospital.
NAT is the latest technological advance in ensuring the safety in blood supply. NAT can directly detect very small amounts of a virus before antibodies are detected by current screening methods. It significantly reduces window periods, resulting in fewer Transfusion Transmitted Infections (TTIs) and safer blood, thus preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis.
As the NAT test is costly, it was introduced in four Government-run medical centres initially.
A near-zero transmission of infective viruses like HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C through blood and its component transfusion can be achieved by using the technology, sources in the Health Department said.
Sources said till date, all the blood banks in the State are using a conventional method called ElISA for the screening of HIV, Hepatitis B and C in the blood and its components. This particular ElISA method has certain limitations and is unable to pick up the viruses in the early stage of the disease, sources added.
Minister Nayak said the facility was opened at the health centres on PPP mode.