Bengaluru: To overcome shortage of blood, the Health and Family Welfare Department will introduce two blood vans which will travel across the state starting from November first week.
Despite conducting several blood campaigns in the state, there is still a deficiency of blood and an increase in demand every year. To help blood centres stock up required and necessary quantities and blood groups, the department will introduce ‘Blood Storage and Distribution Vehicle’ under the National Health Mission (NHM).
Dr Swatantra Kumar Banakar, State Blood Cell Nodal Officer, said, “The state already has vehicles to distribute blood, but we did not have vehicles that store as well as distribute blood. We thought of introducing such vehicles. They are now being designed in Jaipur and two vehicles will travel across the state from next month.” The blood van consists of two donation beds, seating for five donors, refrigerator, generator, blood-test kit, a refreshment container/cooler and a reception counter in a plush and air-conditioned area with one doctor, counsellor, two nurses, and one group D staff along with the driver.
Gujarat, UP and Chhattisgarh have already adopted the blood van project and are working successfully. Even with nearly 200 blood centres in the state, there is still a shortage of blood, forcing patients to source it from private donors. The department hopes that the problem will be solved with these vans.
Dr Kumar said that the blood vans will travel in the districts of Belagavi and Bidar as a trial run. “Later in December, they will travel through districts like Tumakuru, Davangere and Haveri. The department is also thinking of introducing more such vehicles next year, with an aim to collect 15 to 18 units of blood,” he said.
