Kothagudem: With an objective of boosting medical infrastructure in government hospitals in Kothagudem district, the State government has sanctioned funds for establishing four blood storage units.
District Collector Anudeep Durishetty informed that an amount of Rs 47 lakh is sanctioned for establishing the blood storage units and for procuring equipment for a blood storage unit already sanctioned for Paloncha Community Health Centre (CHC).
The establishment of blood storage units would be greatly helpful in blood transfusion for those suffering from sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, in treating road accident victims and women in child delivery cases.
The blood storage units have been sanctioned for the remotely located Aswaraopet CHC, Manugur Area Hospital and Yellandu CHC where operation theatres have been set up recently and surgeries are being performed. Rs 39 lakh would be spent on setting up new blood storage units at a cost of Rs 13 lakh on each unit, the Collector said, adding that Rs.8 lakh would be spent on procuring equipment for the unit at Paloncha CHC. ICICI Bank has provided a vehicle for transporting blood from blood banks to blood storage units spending Rs 20 lakh CSR funds, Anudeep said.
District Coordinator of Hospital Services (DCHS) Dr. Ravi Babu told Telangana Today that Health and Family Welfare Commissioner Sweta Mohanty has recently issued an order sanctioning the funds and sought the district officials to submit estimates.
At present blood banks are available at Kothagudem Government General Hospital and Bhadrachalam Area Hospital for blood transfusion. With the new blood storage units, it would be easier to transfuse blood locally and help the patients avoid the burden of travelling.
There are around 1000 patients suffering from sickle cell anemia, thalassemia. The blood storage units which would be set up in a month’s time ensures continuous availability of blood and proves to be lifesavers for them. In blood banks, platelet separation could be done while blood storage units only serve to store blood, Dr. Ravi Babu explained.