ITANAGAR, 17 Jan: The administration of Ramakrishna Mission Hospital (RKMH) here has revised the processing charge for all blood/blood component from Rs 500/unit to Rs 400/unit with effect from 10 January, following “relentless persuasion” by the State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC), the council informed in a release on Friday.
“The amount mentioned is not the cost of the blood but charges for testing the collected blood units for transfusion transmitted infections (HIV, Hepatitis B & C, malaria and syphilis). RKM Hospital being a private/charitable institute has to sustain transfusion facilities by procuring testing kits from this generated amount,” it said.
The SBTC further said that no one in Arunachal Pradesh is allowed to sell or buy blood. “Blood donation for any pecuniary advantage is a crime and the public in general is advised to keep a vigil and not allow or resort to professional blood donation,” it said.
All the government blood centres and blood storage units in the state issue blood and blood products free of cost across all patients subject to availability, the release stated.
