The State is battling a huge shortfall of 93,000 units of blood annually, and is forced to discard 5% of the total blood collected due to a variety of reasons.
As per statistics presented by Health Minister T. Harish Rao and senior officials of the department on the occasion of World Blood Donor Day held at Gandhi Medical College, Secunderabad, on Tuesday, Telangana requires nearly 4 lakh units of blood every year. But only around 3.07 lakh units are collected.
Mr Harish Rao and the officials have, therefore, urged blood banks to use blood component separators to extend the shelf life of blood. The equipment can be used to separate components such as plasma and white blood cells from whole blood. Shelf life of whole blood is 30 days.
Project director of Telangana State AIDS Control Society, Preeti Meena said that around 5% to 6% of total collected blood is discarded because the expiry date is crossed or due to transmittable diseases. Fresh frozen plasma and other components can be preserved for up to a year by storing them at -30 to -40 degrees. She has urged blood banks to get blood component separators to cut down the volume of waste.
Of the 216 blood banks in the State, 58 are in the government sector and 141 in private sector, apart from hospitals-attached blood banks, and others.
Mr Harish Rao said one unit of blood can be used for two to three people by using blood component separators. He added that the equipment would be provided to the health centres where it is needed.
Speaking about the kind of medical procedures that blood is allotted for, Dr Meena said around 40% to 50% of the total blood collected is given to people undergoing major surgeries such as cardiac, neuro, or transplantations, 12%-15% to gynaecology cases such as child birth, those suffering from anaemia, 10%-12% to accident cases, and 5%-6% to those with Thalassemia or miscellaneous blood disorders. She has directed blood banks to upload the availability of blood in E-RaktKosh website daily.
On the occasion, NGOs, individuals who have donated blood multiple times and public representatives who have been organising blood donation camps were felicitated. A person named Nagaraju has donated blood 157 times.
Jadcherla MLA C. Laxma Reddy has been organising such camps on his birthday for the past 18 years. Narsampet MLA Peddi Sudharshan Reddy and Nagarkurnool MLA Marri Janardhan Reddy were among those who were felicitated.
