Kerala - Kochi   

Free blood transfusion for deliveries from July 15

KOCHI: Women giving birth in government hospitals will be given free blood transfusions, if required, from July 15, Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy said here on Sunday.

She was speaking at a World Blood Donor Day function organised by the Kerala State AIDS Control Society at St. Teresa’s College.

The Minister said the superintendents of these hospitals would be provided funds to run the scheme. There would be no cut-off based on family income and all women would benefit from the measure.

She said the State government planned to ensure availability of blood by going in for a major facility to collect blood and separate its components to be used in specific treatments. With this, only minimal quantities of blood would go waste. The project, requiring crores of rupees, had been submitted to the Union government.

She said that since the State accounted for a high number of road accidents, blood security was important.

Calling upon women in the State to come forward to donate blood, the Minister said blood donation should become a movement among the youngsters.

A mega campaign involving parents and teachers was required to clear so many doubts about blood donation. People should be encouraged to donate at least twice a year. Voluntary donation had gone up in the past three years, which was commendable.

The Minister gave away awards to voluntary donors and institutions that had promoted donation.

K.S. Mony was given the award for donating blood 106 times over several years. P.V. Sulochana of the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, led the women in donating the most number of times.

Among the government institutions, the Aluva Blood Bank and in the private sector, the IMA Blood Bank, were chosen for the award for collecting more blood units. St. Xavier’s College, Aluva, bagged the award for donating the most blood units at the institution level.

Usha Titus, Director of the society; District Collector M. Beena; State Drugs Controller M.P. George; and District Medical Officer K.T. Remani spoke.

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