Mangalore: The Blood Bank of Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), Dakshina Kannada unit at Lady Goschen Hospital in Mangalore has received state-of-the-art equipment for blood component seperator unit equipment worth Rs 1 crore.
The Bharath Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) as a part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) will formally hand over to A.B. Ibrahim, deputy commissioner, who is chairman of the society, in the presence of M. Veerappa Moily, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas on March 5 at 7.30 pm.
Addressing a press meet at IRCS Blood Bank at Lady Goschen Hospital premises on Saturday, March 1, J.R. Lobo, MLA, said that though the IRCS had requested the BPCL to provide blood component seperator equipment, the BPCL donated the same to Lady Goschen hospital as they don’t have provision to donate to any societies (IRCS is a society). Union Minister Veerappa Moily and the then deputy commissioner Dr Chennappa Gowda were instrumental in getting the equipment, he said.
The equipment include refrigerator centrifuge (component seperator which costs Rs 32.7 lac), deep freezers that maintain fresh frozen plasma at minus 80 degree celcius, blood collection monitors and donor’s couch (4 sets), each costing Rs 4.53 lac.
Dr Shakunthala M Mugadur, superintendent of Lady Goschen Hospital told that with addition of these equipments, the blood bank that is managed under PPP mode with the Society will be capable of stocking around 1,600 units of blood. With demand for whole blood declining and that of blood components including plasma and platelets increasing, Dr Shakunthala said this blood separation component unit will be handy.
Ronald Anil Fernandes, vice-president of the society said blood bank will provide whole blood at Rs 700/unit, packed red cells at Rs 600/unit, fresh frozen plasma and platelets at Rs 400/unit each. While blood/blood components will be given free for BPL patients undergoing treatment at government hospitals, patients suffering from Thalassemia, Haemophilia and undergoing treatment at both government and private hospitals will get it for free.
Ronald said the license that the blood bank here received license on March 19, 2013 is valid up to March 18, 2018, and will have to be renewed after that.
Tejomaya, former chairman, MUDA, said that out of the Rs 1 crore, a sum of Rs 70 lakh has been utilised for the blood bank component seperator equipment and plans are on the anvil to buy a generator set in the remaining funds, to run the blood bank.
Besides M. Veerappa Moily, Oscar Fernandes, Union Minister, B Ramanath Rai, District-in-Charge Minister, U.T. Khader, Health Minister and Abhayachandra Jain, Youth Services Minister will take part in the programme. Keshav V Shenoy, executive director, BPCL will be present.
Courtesy:Udayavani