The Red Cross Blood Banks across the State would now be known as “Odisha Blood Banks”.
In a major decision, the State Government has decided to remove the Red Cross tag from the 55 blood banks functioning in the premises of Government hospitals. A notification in this regard has been issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department.
Health & Family Welfare Secretary Dr PK Meherda had drawn the attention of Health Minister Pratap Jena to a proposal of renaming the blood banks. Jena favoured the proposal. The decision also has Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s approval.
Presently, there are 83 blood banks in the State, of which 56 bear the name of Odisha Red Cross Blood Bank. Except the Central Red Cross Blood Bank, Cuttack, the other 55 other Red Cross Blood Banks are functioning under the supervision of medical college superintendents, CDMOs, SDMOs and medical officers of the Government.
Though the State Red Cross unit only manages the Central Red Cross blood bank at Cuttack, the 55 others also carry its name. This is viewed to be illegal.
Because of such anomaly, employees of the blood banks were facing serious problems. In one hand, the Red Cross was not recognising them as its employees; and on other hand, the Government was also not accepting them as its employees.
Time and again, the Odisha Blood Bank Employees’ Association raised this issue before different Government functionaries with a request to accept them as regular Government employees as the Red Cross disowns them.
After reviewing the problem, the Government took a policy decision to change the nomenclature of ‘Orissa Red Cross’ from 55 blood banks functioning in the premises of Government health institutions.
Meanwhile, instructions have been given to district Collectors, principals of medical collages, CDMOs and other functionaries to ensure that blood banks have changed their names and other requisite documents including signboards.