Staff Reporter
NAHARALGUN, 13 May: The state’s annual blood requirement is around 15,000 units, and to meet the demand, one percent of the state’s total population is required to donate blood, State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) Deputy Director Dr Joram Khopey said.
As per the SBTC, the gross blood collection, including whole blood and packed red blood cell (PRBC) during January-April this year was 3,512 units, while the total units of platelet concentrate and fresh frozen plasma prepared/collected during that period were 1,208 and 572, respectively.
A total of 2,840 units of whole blood/packed red blood cell were transfused during the four months, while the total platelet concentrate and fresh frozen plasma transfused during the same period were 723 and 134 units, respectively.
The month-wise whole blood and PRBC collections in 11 blood banks in the state in units were 661 in January, 770 in February, 1,000 in March, and 1,081 in April.
During April, a total of 452 units of blood were collected at the TRIHMS, 244 units at the RKMH, and 131 units at the Bakin Pertin General Hospital (BPGH), Pasighat, excluding the previous stocks of 65, 27, and 29 units, respectively.
A total of 337 units of whole blood and PRBC were issued for transfusion by the TRIHMS during April, while the blood banks at the RKMH and the BPGH issued 237 and 129 units of blood, including PRBCs, the data provided by the SBTC said.
Dr Khopey said that most of the blood recipients in Papum Pare and a few other districts have been cancer and delivery-related patients. He said that there is sufficient quantity of blood in stock in the 11 blood banks in the state.
Besides the TRIHMS, the BPGH and the RKMH, the hospitals in Aalo (West Siang), Yingkiong (Upper Siang), Daporijo (Upper Subansiri), Ziro (Lower Subansiri), Roing (Lower Dibang Valley), Tezu (Lohit), Bomdila (West Kameng), and Tawang have blood banks. The Ruksin FRU and the Namsai hospital also have blood banks.
Of these blood banks, only the TRIHMS, the BPGH and the RKMH have the facility of separating blood components, Dr Khopey said.
He said that plans are afoot to open blood banks in Changlang, Seppa (East Kameng), Khonsa (Tirap) and Longding. There are also proposals to establish blood banks in Lumla and Yazali, he said.
Explaining the difficulties in opening blood banks, Dr Khopey said that, apart from trained staff, high-end equipment and building and uninterrupted power supply is a must (to set up blood banks).
Informing that blood and blood products are supplied to all needy patients free of cost by all government blood banks, he appealed to all eligible persons to come forward and donate blood voluntarily, so that no patient dies for want of blood.
“As of now, there is no scarcity of blood in the blood banks as people are voluntarily coming forward to donate blood,” he added.
