With an aim to sensitise clinicians towards judicious use of human blood and its components in the different clinical specialties and to sensitise medicos on the current scenario of blood transfusion, a two-day 6th annual conference “Rakt Pravah” was started in Dehradun on Saturday.
After inaugurating the seminar, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat said that the State Government would extend its support to Indian Medical Association (IMA) Blood bank, if the bank tabled project for bridging the gap between the demand and supply of human blood in the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions of Uttarakhand.
He further said that the his Government was committed to provide best and round the clock medical and health facilities to even those villagers who are living in the mountainous and fringe parts of the State. Cantt MlA and former Vidhan Sabha Speaker Harbans Kapoor and Vikasnagar MlA Nav Prahbat also urged from the gathering to come forward for participating in the voluntary blood donation camps being organised by the Government and private sectors in the length and breadth of the State.
Experts said that cardiac surgery continued to place the largest demand on the available blood supply apart from other surgeries and despite major advances in the perioperative blood conservation, transfusion rates in the cardiac surgery remain high with large variation. The keynote address was delivered by Department of Transfusion Medicine, Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, Dr RN Makroo. A souvenir was also released during the event.
Earlier, speaking on the occasion, Dr BS Pandhi, president, IMA Blood Bank, said that the theme of the conference would be "Blood transfusion in clinical practice" and series of plenary sessions, oral presentations, and panel discussions would be held in order to give participants a chance to share their experiences about latest developments in the field of blood transfusion.
He said that IMA blood bank works on 100 per cent voluntary blood collection and accept no replacement donor ever. Dr N Choudhury, Dr Rajendra, Dr VP Choudhury, Dr Rasika Setia and others expressed their views on latest trends in the blood transfusion. A fashion show was presented by thallaesemic and aplastic anemia patients and also received overwhelm response from the gathering.
IMA blood bank managing director Dr Umang Sahai stressed that the bank has been continuously striving to meet with the demand of human blood in the region and also urged from the gathering to come forward for participating in the voluntary blood donation camps.