Urgent need to upgrade K.R. Hospital Blood Bank

Mysore/Mysuru: Narasimharaja MLA Tanveer Sait said that it has been proposed to set up a Blood Bank at the Central Hospital for Beedi Workers on Mahadevapura Main Road in the city to meet the growing demand for blood.

He was speaking after inaugurating a Mega Blood Donation camp organised by Azeez Sait Community Welfare Development Charitable Trust, Care Social Foundation, Umeed COVID Volunteers, Mysore District Relief Committee, UMMAT Social-Educational Trust, Lions Jeevadhara Blood Centre and  Department of Health and Family Welfare at NR COVID Care Centre and Hospital (Beedi Hospital) here this morning.

Sait said according to the recent Central Government rules, the existing Blood Bank at K.R. Hospital needs to be upgraded. Of late, the concept of Blood Banks has changed, especially after COVID-19 pandemic, as blood platelets and plasma have to be separated from the blood. 

Since it involves technology, there was an urgent need for upgrading of the K.R. Hospital Blood Bank. It has been proposed to set up a Blood Bank at the Beedi Hospital for the benefit of common people, he added.

The MLA said while 25 percent of blood units collected through donors will be handed over to the Government Blood Bank, the rest will be donated to Lions Jeevadhara Blood Centre. The purpose of holding the mega camp was to encourage the youths to come forward and donate blood. “We are expecting around 200 persons to donate  blood in today’s camp,” he added.

On the occasion, Parveen Sait, daughter of MLA Sait and also President of Umeed Covid Volunteers, donated blood.

District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. K.H. Prasad, who also spoke, said around 35,000 deliveries take place in the district every year of which 15 percent of cases were complicated and five percent were Caesarean section. Such cases require blood. While the mother Blood Bank was situated in K.R. Hospital, the storage units are situated in all Taluk General Hospitals. The Government Hospitals depend upon the public for the collection of blood. Besides, accident victims and cancer patients too require blood, he noted.

Acting Mayor Anwar Baig, Dr. Mohammed Shiraz, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Girish, Director, Jeevadhara Blood Centre and others were present.