Workshop on voluntary blood donation

Patiala: The Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion (Blood Bank), Government Medical College, Patiala, in association with the Punjab State AIDS Control Society and the Punjab State Blood Transfusion Council, Chandigarh, on Saturday conducted a second one-day workshop on voluntary blood donation. College principal Dr BL Bhardwaj said the blood bank was the only department of the college which required active support of general public, especially voluntary blood donors and NGOs, because due to their active participation, numerous lives were saved. Dr Kanchan Bhardwaj, Prof and Head, Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, said for the better coordination among the blood bank and NGOs, such workshops were useful as around 93 per cent of the blood was collected through outdoor voluntary blood donation camps. Bhardwaj said the camp organisers should know the working of the blood bank and various steps involved in processing the blood, before making it available for patients. — TNS