H1N1 scare: Blood banks face shortage

Courtesy by: timesofindia

PUNE: As the city’s continues to grapple with the H1N1 flu situation, blood banks in the city have reported acute shortage of blood. If the
situation remains the same for the next two days, there will be complete dry up’ at all the 22 blood banks in the city, as the total amount of blood currently available with all these banks is not more than 200 units.

“There is nearly dry up’ condition at the blood banks in the city right now. If the situation persists for another two days, there will be complete dry up all over,” said Ram Bangad, who runs the trust Raktache Nate,’ which has a donor base of 7,000 people.

Sharing the view, Vandana Vasave, blood transfusion officer at the blood bank of the Sassoon general hospital, said, “We are also facing the pressure of the shortage of blood. As the district collector has banned all types of overcrowding, we could not organise blood donation camps. Currently, we have just 28 units of blood with us. We meet the needs now through our medical students who come and donate blood whenever there is a need.”

As per government orders, public gatherings of any kind has been given a rest for few days with the H1N1 outbreak in city which led to the cancellation of several blood donation camps. Independence day camps by all major blood banks have proved highly successful over the years. However, this year, all blood banks had either cancelled or postponed such camps on August 15, said Dilip Wani, national president, Jankalyan chain of blood banks in India.

“A blood bank on any given day, under usual circumstances, has more than 100 units of blood available. But now, a blood bank has just 20 to 30 units at their disposal,” said Bangad. The blood bank at Sassoon, which used to have 400 units at any point of time, has now just 30 units, he said.

Sanjeev Ketkar, pathologist and blood transfusion officer, Deenanath Mangeshkar hospital blood bank, added, “We have just 27 units of blood available at our blood bank. We should be allowed to hold blood donation camps now. Otherwise, we are going to exhaust all our stock.” He added that voluntary donors have been visiting the hospital on their own, but the amount thus collected is not adequate.

He said the hospital is making sure that they screen even those small number of people who donate blood for the H1N1 virus. “You will not contract the H1N1 flu just because you donate blood,” he said. We call several donors from our database but none of them are willing to come because they fear they will contract the H1N1 virus, he added.

“If the present situation prevails for the next few days, things will go out of hand. There are some operations that can be pushed forward, but caesarean operations, treatment for trauma patients cannot be delayed. Moreover, dengue cases are also rising in the city. These patients also require blood platelets as well,” said Dilip Sarda, president of the city unit of Indian Medical Association.

The annual average blood requirement of the city is 1.5 lakh units approximately. Of this, 40 per cent is contributed by students. Besides this, the rest is contributed by workers from the organised sector (25 per cent), political outfits (10 per cent) and the remaining 25 per cent is taken care of by social, voluntary and religious organisations, said Wani.

This shortfall is causing serious problems for Thalassemia patients and those who are suffering from blood cancer as well, who need constant transfusion, Wani added.

Cord blood bank to be set up in Ahmedabad

Courtesy by: indianexpress.com

A new collaboration between StemCyte Inc. of the US and Apollo Hospital Enterprises Ltd. now promises to bring about a revolution in the treatment about 70 diseases by introducing the ‘plasma depletion’ technology in India.

A Memorandum of Understanding between the two companies was signed at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit and the collaboration has resulted into StemCyte India Therapeutics Pvt. Ltd. This cord blood bank will be located in Ahmedabad and will have the patented technique of processing and storage of StemCyte Inc., announced the officials of the StemCyte on Thursday.

The technology of collecting high volume of stem cells called ‘plasma depletion’ which helps in successful therapeutic applications of umbilical cord stem cells can be used in the treatment of 70 different diseases like leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia, fanconi anaemia and auto immune deficiency diseases. These diseases have been successfully treated with umbilical cord stem cells. The umbilical cord blood stem cells are fast emerging as a prime source of stem cells in the field of regenerative medicine, repair of injured tissues, nerves and organs.

According to Tushar Dalal, president of StemCyte India, the company plans to build 20,000 diverse units to help treat critically ill patients in India and abroad. He said, “Strategically situated in Gujarat, which has the highest frequency of Thalassemia patients, StemCyte India will spread the ray of hope among patients of this life threatening disease.”

While StemCyte has earlier signed two research and licensing agreements for human umbilical cord blood stem cell treatment of spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and other problems of the central nervous system, these research programs will be conducted in India by Apollo Hospitals and Cadila Pharmaceuticals here as well.

Metro blood bank project hits roadblock

Courtesy by: expressindia.com

Mumbai The proposed metro blood bank project at the civic-run Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital (LTMG) in Sion has not taken off yet as funds from the Centre have not reached the civic authorities.

The proposed state-of-the-art blood bank — the second such blood bank in the city after the state-owned metropolitan blood bank in the JJ Hospital complex in Byculla — was supposed to get a Rs 125-crore grant from the Centre.

Dr Sanjay Jadhav, member of the governing board, National Blood Transfusion Council, and in-charge of the metropolitan blood bank project, said the project is on and architects are being appointed, but he confirmed that the funds have not reached the civic authorities yet.

“The metro blood bank project in Mumbai is in sync with similar blood banks in Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai. The funds have to be released together,” he said. The funds for the blood bank were sanctioned in November 2008.

When contacted, Dr Sandhya Kamat, dean of LTMG Hospital, confirmed that the blood bank project has not taken off yet.

The civic body had identified a 75,000-sq ft plot at the old army barracks of Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital in Sion to set up the blood bank. It also had a plan to start the construction early this year.

A blood collection centre is only part of the mega project. The civic body has a plan to make it a centre of excellence by setting up a molecular biology lab, genetics studies centre,

immunology centre, cord banking and stem cell facilities, plasma fractionation centre, thalassemia day care centre, hemophilia day care centre and biotechnology laboratory.

The civic body is also planning to start Phd programme and post gradute courses like MD in transfusion medicine and MSc at the centre.

According to sources, the centre would act as a ‘mother’ blood bank for small and private blood banks in the city, with a fully automated facility for blood testing and component separation.

According to civic authorities, the project has not been written off and they are waiting for funds from the Centre.

Blood supply dips during summer vacations

Courtesy: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

PUNE: It is the flip side of summer vacations. Twenty-two blood banks in the city face supply crunch for three months at a stretch starting April every year. The reason: their most prized blood donors – the student class – is out on vacation.

“The annual average blood requirement of the city is 1.5 lakh units approximately. Of this, 40 per cent is contributed by students. That’s the reason why blood banks in the city face crunch during summer vacations between April and June,” said Dilip Wani, national president of Jankalyan Chain of Blood Banks in India. Besides 40 per cent by students’ community, the rest is contributed by workers from the organised sector (25 per cent), political outfits (10 per cent) and the remaining 25 per cent is taken care of by social, voluntary and religious organisations, added Wani.

Sharing the view, Prashant Chaudhari, chairman of the blood bank of Poona Serological Institute, said, “Students make 40 per cent of the contribution to the annual requirement of the city. Hence, blood banks in the city have to adopt various ways to meet the shortfall during summer. The stress is more on motivating patients’ relatives to donate blood during this period.”

“This seasonal shortfall causes serious problems for Thalassemia patients and those who are suffering from blood cancer as well, who need constant transfusion,” said Wani.

Echoing same sentiment, blood transfusion officer of the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital Sanjeev Ketkar said, “We rely on software industries in and around the city to fill up the gap. Similarly, we have formed voluntary platelet donor support group for patients of cancer and dengue.”

Ram Bangad, who runs the trust Raktache Nate’ with a base of 7,000 donors in the city, said, “It is true that summer vacation leads to crunch, but hospitals try to fill up the gap by conducting camps on industry premises. And it is not just students who go on vacation, even those hailing from other states go back home during this period, adding to the shortage.” There is need to approach people at the right time and place to motivate them to donate blood. Recently, we conducted a blood donation camp along with the Maheshwari community and the response was quite good, added Bangad.

Country’s first public stem cell bank opens in city, poor to get free therapy

Courtesy by: timesofindia

CHENNAI: The country’s first public stem cell bank, which would store stem cells extracted from a newborn’s umbilical cord for common use, was inaugurated here on Thursday. The cells, which are collected from the blood from umbilical cord soon after childbirth, are preserved at -196 degrees Celsius in liquid nitrogen.

While mothers can store the blood for private use for a cost, they would be charged nothing if they donate it to the public bank. These cells are capable of developing into different kinds of cells and tissues, offering new treatment methods for serious disorders including blood cancer.

Member of parliament Kanimozhi inaugurate Jeevan Stem Cell Bank, a unit of Jeevan Blood Bank. “Stem cells have a shelf life of 21 years. As of now, there is 80% cure from stem cell therapy for diseases like blood cancer and Thalassemia. In the future, it may be possible to use these cells to grow damaged tissues or organs. It has a potential of curing more than 70 medical conditions,” said Dr P Srinivasan, managing trustee, Jeevan Blood Bank.

The Bank has assured that it would collect, test, process and store at least 30,000 units of stem cells from cord blood in five years. Under the scheme, 70% of the bank’s capacity will be used for public storage and 30% for private storage to cross subsidise and make it viable. Parents would pay Rs 70,000 to cord blood for 21 years of exclusive use.

“Stem cells from the bank would be made available free of cost for people living below the poverty line. Others will be charged Rs 1 lakh per unit. We have adopted a working model after studying several ones abroad,” said Jeevan Blood Bank medical director Saranya Narayan. The charge, she said, is less than one eighth of that of banks abroad.

“When I got my son a unit (23 ml) of stem cells for a blood disease he suffered when he was four years old, I paid Rs 8 lakh to a bank in Singapore. We decided to run the house on a shoestring budget to buy the unit. That was in 2003. I wish this bank was available then,” said K Kandan, father of eight-year-old Avinash.

Cord blood donors, like blood donors, should be free of infections like HIV and Hepatitis. We do PCR test and nuclear testing of the blood to ensure that it is safe. “These cells will be given to any person who needs them, provided there is a tissue match. We will make available a portion of the cells collected for research as well,” said Dr Srinivasan.

The facility has been set up at a cost of Rs 2 crore. Rs 1.4 crore came as a loan without collateral from a private bank, while the rest came as donations from organisations and interest-free loans from well wishers. While the bank is sure of getting revenue from several research organisations and hospitals, it is also looking at alternative sources of revenue. “We have identified a few. Besides research, grants from the Centre and state government, NRIs, public, philanthropists and corporates are other possible revenue sources,” he said.

NTR Memorial Trust Blood Bank Gives Free Blood for the Poor

Courtesy by: pr-usa.net

“The blood bank is not making any monetary gain from its services. It is started with the bona fide intention of serving the poor public” says Mr P Raghu Rama Rao, CEO, NTR Memorial Trust.

NTR Memorial Trust calls upon general public to use its blood bank services. The Trust has started a blood bank at Hyderabad with the mission to provide safe blood and its components for the poor of Twin Cities and surrounding districts.

The blood bank provides free blood to thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia and haemophilia patients apart from providing free blood to government hospitals and poor patients who hold white ration cards.

The blood bank also provides blood to other people at a nominal rate of Rs 350/- per unit. Rebutting allegations from some quarters, Mr P Raghu Rama Rao, CEO, NTR Memorial Trust, says, “Our charges are less than those of any other blood bank, including the Red Cross blood bank in Andhra Pradesh.”

National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) has issued guidelines to all the blood banks in the country to limit the processing/ handling charges towards collection, screening, cross matching and storage of the blood to Rs 850 per unit for whole blood. The charges of NTR Memorial Trust Blood Bank are only a fraction of the ceiling fixed by the NACO.

“The blood bank is not making any monetary gain from its services. It is started with the bona fide intention of serving the poor public and the blood bank is spending more money than it is receiving from blood issues. The deficit is being met from the donations the Trust receiving from generous philanthropists,” Says Mr Raghu Rama Rao.

NTR Memorial Trust, which is known for its pioneering social work in areas like entrepreneurship, blood bank, primary healthcare, women and child welfare, thanks those who have contributed to the setting up and running its blood bank successfully.

PM inaugurates Indoor Block of Sukkur Hospital

Courtesy by: app.com.pk

SUKKUR, Jan 11 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani here Sunday inaugurated Indoor Block of Sukkur Hospital/Blood Bank of Sukkur Blood & Drugs Donating Society (SBDDS). The project has been completed with a cost of Rs 30.00 million. Indoor Block of Sukkur Hospital/Blood Bank has the total strength of 100 beds with full ultra modern facilities to provide medical and surgical services to the patients of under served and far-flung areas of interior Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab provinces.

Sukkur Hospital is serving since last 20 years to patients of Blood Cancer, Thalassemia & Hemophilia.

This was stated by Medical Director/Secretary BoG of Sukkur Hospital Dr. Muhammad Naeem, while briefing the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani after inauguration the Indoor Block of the Hospital.

The briefing was attended by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Federal Minister for Labour, Manpower, and Overseas Pakistanis Syed Kursheed Ahmed Shah, who is also the Chairman Board of Governors, Sukkur Hospital, Federal Minister for Health Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani, Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Health Dr. Mehreen Bhutto, Sindh Minister for Education Pir Mazharul Haq, MNAs, MPAs, Islamuddin Shaikh and others.

Dr. Muhammad Naeem said that the Sukkur Blood & Drugs Donating Society (SBDDS) is non-political social welfare organization founded by five Medical Students of Chandka Medical College (CMC) Larkana with just Rs 600, in February 02, 1988.

He told that the Shaheed Chairperson of PPP and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto inaugurated the Blood Bank and Laboratory of Sukkur Hospital, in November, 1998.

He said that Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah contributed enormously in raising this institute and making it state- of- the- art health care facility.

This hospital provides about fifteen thousand Blood units annually to the patients of Blood Cancer, accidents victims, woman during pregnancy.

Construction work of indoor block of Sukkur Hospital was started in 2006 and completed in December 2008, he said adding, Pakistan Baitul Mal, Engro Chemical, District Government Sukkur, Cotton Ginners and Local Business Community and Philanthropist of Sukkur provided financial assistance to accomplish this humanitarian venture run by Sukkur Blood and Drugs Donating Society (SBDDS).

This block of the hospital comprising of Emergency Ward, Medical/Surgical ICU, Male medical/Surgical Wards, Female Medical/Surgical Wards, Children Ward, Neonatal ICU, three Operation Theaters, Nursing station, Administration Waiting area.

Dr. Muhammad Naeem said that the prime goal of Sukkur Hospital is to increase access the of-healthcare services to impoverished communities preventing communicable diseases under the dynamic leadership and guidelines of Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah Federal Minister for Labour,Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis to provide health care facilities particularly to the Thalassanemia/Hemophilia patients including Sukkur, interior Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan Provinces.

On the occasion Medical Director of Sukkur Hospital Dr. Muhammad Naeem, submitted the demands and requirements of the Hospital to the Prime Minister. The demands required that Sukkur Hospital may be awarded the status of Medical Institute; Medical equipment worth of Rs 20 million be provided to Sukkur Hospital and Rs 10 million may be allocated for Sukkur Hospital in the Federal/Provincial Budget to treat needy destitute patients.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said we have gone through the requirements of the Sukkur Hospital and directed the Provincial and Federal Ministries of Health to examine all the demands and requirements with a view to prepare a positive case for providing maximum assistance to the hospital.

The Federal Minister for Manpower, Labour and Overseas Pakistanis Syed Kursheed Ahmed Shah, presented the memento of the Hospital to the Prime Minister.

Later, the Prime Minister distributed the shields of the Sukkur Hospital to the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Federal Minister Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Dr. Muhammad Naeem, Wajid Hussain Junejo, Dr. Mehreen Bhutto, Khalid Mehmood Khan, Iqbal Daud Pakwala, Abdul Jabbar, Dr. Chaman Lal, Asad Umar of Engro Chemicals and others.

Soon after the arrival in Sukkur Hospital, the Premier inaugurated newly completed Indoor Block of the Sukkur Hospital/Blood Bank.

The Prime Minister alongwith Sindh Chief Minister, Federal Ministers, and Provincial Ministers visited the various sections and wards of the hospital.

Bengal blood banks facing severe shortage

Courtesy by: thaiindian.com

Kolkata, Nov 3 (IANS) It’s the flip side of the festive season. Over 100 blood banks in the state are facing an acute supply shortage as social organisations and clubs were too busy with Durga Puja to organise their regular blood donation camps.Most of the blood banks, 58 of which are state-run and the rest are private, have failed to meet the average requirement of blood units, particularly causing problems for thalassemia and blood cancer patients.

“All the major festivals, including the mega event of Durga Puja, were celebrated in October. Naturally, the social organisations and clubs were busy making arrangements for the puja. Very few blood donation camps were organised during festival time in the state this year,” Apurva Ghosh, general secretary of the West Bengal Voluntary Blood Donors’ Forum, told IANS.

Said Ghosh: “West Bengal has a requirement of 750,000 units of blood per annum, of which 620,000 units have been achieved so far.”

The average requirement of blood units in the state varied from 50,000 to 60,000 per month.

“This shortfall has caused problems for thalassemia patients and those who are suffering from blood cancer and are in need of regular blood transfusion,” he said.

According to a source at the SSKM Hospital, a state-run premier healthcare unit in Kolkata, blood banks are finding it hard to meet the demand.

“The demand was much higher than the normal figure in October and there aren’t sufficient stocks preserved with the blood banks,” the source said.

Some are even rationing the supply.

S.K. Sen Barat, who works with a city-based private blood bank, said: “Almost every month we give about 500 units, but so far we have given 350.”

Ghosh said various political parties in the state play a very important role in blood donation activities round the year.

“But this time they were also busy with burning issues like the Singur land acquisition and the (coming) Lok Sabha poll. So they took no initiative to arrange blood donation programmes,” Ghosh said.

“We’ve given several proposals to the state government to make adequate arrangements for the festive season, as we all are aware of the crisis here. There should be proper planning on the part of the government and voluntary organisations in tackling such a critical challenge,” Ghosh said.

State Director for Health Services Sanchita Bakshi admitted told IANS: “It’s true that there was a serious crisis, but gradually we’re trying to get over that since the festive occasions are now over. We’ve decided to hold at least 14 blood donation camps in November all over the state.”

West Bengal apparently tops the league of blood donation camps, with Maharastra and Tripura coming second and third respectively.