Kochi: At a time when transfusion-transmitted infections due to unsafe blood donation is a major health hazard in the country, the Indian Medical Association is advocating the use of the latest technology – Nucleic Acid Amplification Technology (NAT) – which enables stringent screening of blood samples to reduce the risk of transmitted infections. On National Blood Donation Day on October 1, representatives of IMA Blood Bank, Kochi which has the only NAT machine in the state, have stressed the need to create awareness on the importance of screening blood using advanced screening techniques.
NAT technology helps detect very low levels of viral RNA or DNA that may be present in donated blood, which could be missed on serology testing. Thus, NAT reduces the window period by early detection of infectious donor blood, so that recipients can be saved from transmitted infections. NAT testing provides an additional layer of safety to blood recipients. “After the NAT machine was installed in our blood bank in 2012, we have done 49,311 blood tests. Among them, eight hepatitis B, one hepatitis C and one HIV- infected samples were found. All these samples were found negative in the mandatory ELISA test,” said Dr. Sunil Mathai, secretary of IMA Blood Bank.
According to the National Aids Control Society data, 1.1 crore units of blood samples were collected during 2015 – 16 and 2,234 persons were infected with HIV virus while getting a blood transfusion of which 29 were from Kerala. “At present, the test is being done for Rs.900 per one unit of blood. Considering its advantages and social relevance, the state government should initiate steps to set up the NAT machine in at least three major centres in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode,” said Dr. Narayanan Kutty, chairman of IMA Blood Bank.
