In a major step to help the needy patients, the State Government has decided to provide blood free of cost to them undergoing treatment in the Government health centres from February 1.
Health & Family Welfare Secretary Pramod Kumar Meherda issued detailed orders on Wednesday to all Government-run hospitals, including medical colleges hospitals, to implement the order to ensure that all patients receive blood free of cost at all blood banks.
Dr Meherda said specifically that as the patients would be provided blood free of cost, processing or service charges would be collected from the indenting institutions in case the patients are admitted to private hospitals or nursing homes.
He said that for smooth implementation and strengthening the provision of free blood services, the cost of processing or service charges at a rate of Rs 400 per unit of blood or blood products would be reimbursed under the National Health Mission (NHM) to all Government and Red Cross Blood Banks.
The Secretary has made it clear that any additional funds for kits and consumables required for Blood Component Separation Unit (BCSU) with aphaeresis facilities shall be provided out of the State Budget. He said that for strengthening of blood services, a separate fund provision has been made under the State Budget for procurement of bags, kits, consumables and reagents, procurement of equipments, instruments, etc.
In addition, Rs 350 per unit of blood has been allocated to all blood banks in lieu of waiving services charges for blood disorder patients, pregnant mothers, sick and infants, accident victims, BPL and destitute out of the State Budget and the NHM budget. Besides, a separate fund provision has also been made for infrastructure development and man power under the State Budget and the NHM budget, he informed.