Scheme to ensure blood for thalassemics soon: Vij

Our Correspondent

Ambala, November 30

The Health Department will soon launch a scheme for children suffering from genetic blood disorder-- thalassemia-- and have been facing difficulty in arranging blood every month for their survival.

Inaugurating a blood donation camp for thalassemics at Ambala City yesterday, Health Minister Anil Vij said he knew that a number of thalassemia-affected children had to rush to Delhi, Rohtak and Chandigarh for receiving blood stem cells. The parents of such children some times had to carry blood donors with them, entailing extra expenditure.

Vij said he would ask the department to plan a scheme that ensured regular blood for such patients from nearby blood banks. A survey would also be conducted to assess the number of thalassemia patients in various districts.

Vij said some kidney-failure patients had also briefed him about the difficulties being faced by them to carry out dialysis. The minister said he would assess the possibility for providing the dialysis facility in all district- level civil hospitals.

The minister said it had came to his notice that 34 primary health centres had been running without any doctor. The DGHS had been directed to make available doctors in these centres within 10 days, Vij added.