Blood Safety

Introduction

There is no other fluid which can totally substitute blood in the human body. Blood contains nutrients, oxygen in adequate quantities and helps in maintaining a balanced temperature of the body. The growing problem of transfusion associated infections has been appreciated globally. Transmission of HIV and other Transfusion Transmitted Infections (TTI) including Hepatitis B, C, Syphilis and Malaria through blood transfusion can be prevented by the use of safe blood. A reduction in their incidence of transmission can be achieved by ensuring screening of blood for these infections prior to transfusion and promoting voluntary blood donation.

Civil Hospital Blood Banks:

GOI/PSU Blood Banks

Strategic Plan for Blood Safety

Under the NACO’s Programme of strengthening the existing blood transfusion services NACO supported Blood Banks in the Government / GOI/ IRCS Sectors are strengthened in the terms of providing budget for procurement of consumables / salary of Lab Technicians/ Testing Kits/ Voluntary Blood Donation Drive/ Training (Capacity Building) of the Blood Bank Personals etc.

In the year 2012, approximately 2,28,000  units of Blood were collected in NACO supported Blood Banks of Madhya Pradesh, out of which 2,15,000 units (94%) were collected through Voluntary Blood Donation.

Component separation facilities are available in the blood component separation units of Madhya Pradesh in different institutions.

Strengthening quality control of blood and blood products through regular monitoring. Govt. & Private Blood Banks are participating under EQAS Porgramme.

Policy of Madhya Pradesh

Blood transfusion services are integral part of Health care System.

Professional blood donation has been abolished.

Only licensed blood banks are permitted to operate.

Voluntary blood donation is being encouraged.

Voluntary Blood Donation Movement

The safest type of blood is that donated voluntarily by an unpaid donor. Shortage of blood encourages professional blood donors to become active, which reduces the safety of blood. It is therefore necessary to encourage voluntary blood donation to meet the need of blood for the State. It should rather become a mass movement, to ensure safe blood supply. Following steps are being implemented:-

Weekly Blood Donation Camps at every District Level Blood Banks.

Calendar for such Blood Donation Camps.

Involvement of all Voluntary Organizations like Lions, Rotary Club, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, etc.

Participation of Panchayat, Janpad Panchayat, Municipal Corporation in the implementation of Voluntary Blood Donation Movement.

Students of NSS, Red Ribbon Clubs and NCC are regularly participating in Voluntary Blood Donation Programme by donating blood.

Every youth should donate his blood at least once every year. By Voluntary Blood Donation you can save life of needy patients.

As a part of voluntary blood donation movement, Voluntary blood donation camps are organized regularly. The Voluntary Blood Donation Day is observed on 1st October and World Blood Donors Day is observed on 14th June Every year. A Blood Donation fortnight is organized at both the occasions. One day training workshop on Donor Motivation is organized at all Medical College and Major Blood Banks.

Blood Donation – Important Facts
Red Blood Cells (RBC) are the most important constituent of blood.  Life of the RBC is 90 to 120 days so regularly old RBCs are replaced by new RBCs in the body throughout the life of a person. In other words 1/120th  part of total RBCs are destroyed and successively same number of RBCs are formed daily.  Therefore, donated blood is replenished very soon.  Blood donation does not give any weakness.

One cannot contract any disease, through blood donation if sterile procedure is adopted.

Every healthy individual between the age group of 18 to 65 Yrs can donate blood at every three months interval safely.

Blood donation is almost a painless procedure and takes only 3-5 minutes.

No food restriction required prior to, during & after the blood donation.

A Blood Donor must have:-

• Sound health,
• At least 45 Kg weight, and
• Hemoglobin 12.5 gm%
• Age between 18 – 65 Yrs.

Rational Use of Blood
Single unit Blood transfusion should be avoided and blood should be transfused only if it can’t be substituted by other means. The problem of the storage of Blood can be solved to a great extent by transfusing blood components instead of whole blood. Wherever whole blood is not needed, the required component should be used.

• This separation of components takes place at Blood Component Separation Units.
• Patients should be given different blood components such as packed cells, plasma, platelets etc according to their need.
• Blood Component Separation Units are functional at following Institutions of M.P.