Govt contemplates to upscale blood banks

SHILLONG, OCT 1: Meghalaya health minister AL Hek informed that the state government is contemplating to upscale and strengthened the blood banks in the different districts of the state to meet the blood requirements of the sick during emergencies.

“The health department is working out to upscale and strengthened the blood banks to improve the heath-care services to the people in order to reduce lost of precious lives,” Hek told reporters on Tuesday.

According to Hek, Meghalaya at present has only six blood banks centers to cater to the need of eleven districts in the state. The six included the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), Ganesh Das, Pastuer Institute, Tura civil hospital, Jowai Hospital.

Blood is one important aspect that plays a crucial role in determining the life and death of a person. However, the absent of sufficient blood banks has been one of the major challenges faced by the people of the state where many a time precious lives are lost. Another challenge faced is the lack of blood donors.

In this backdrop Hek said,“We need to set more blood banks in the state.” Stressing that blood donors have an important role to play in the process of strengthening the blood banks, he said there is a need to create mass awareness to encourage people to come forward and donate blood which can have an impact on many lives.

Hek said the major drawback of the blood banks is that while the deposit is quite less, the withdrawal is very high which everyone needs to take responsibility and join hands by contributing to the blood banks for better services to all.

Earlier, on the occasion of the National Voluntary Blood Donation Day observed  a function was held in the Don Bosco Youth Centre. There too Hek emphasized that blood donation is the only way of accumulating bloods and store it to meet emergency requirement for saving lives.

Hek observed, “Donating blood is an act of all concerned for survival of those people who are otherwise unable to help themselves,” while urging the people to come forward and cooperate with the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society and State Blood Transfusion Council to donate blood and save a life.

Hek also appealed to  the state governor, chief minister, ministers, celebrities, members of the health fraternity to also should join hand together in donating blood.- By Our Reporter