Enact separate law for blood banks, says doc

Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, February 12

The news regarding transfusion of infected & incompatible blood transfusion has created panic among patients of the region for the need of blood transfusion.

Dr Ajay Bagga, a social activist, and a retired Civil Surgeon, who has been associated with blood donation campaign for the past more than 30 years and has donated blood for more than 100 times, said: “To ensure safe healthy blood transfusion services, the Central Government must enact a separate legislation for storage, distribution, transportation & operation of blood banks in the country.”

Dr Bagga further said: “The Supreme Court has already told the Central Government to consider the advisability of enacting such a law.”

“Presently the blood transfusion services are regulated under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940 and its subsequent amendments,” he added.

He said: “In our country, the number of blood banks needs to be increased and all blood banks must have sufficient trained manpower. To transfuse blood, in hospitals, special training needs to be imparted to the persons transfusing blood so that they can properly handle adverse reaction arising out of blood transfusion.”

“To reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections, molecular technique known as Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) technique must be made mandatory in all blood banks, and for this the rates of reagents and equipment to be used for NAT . testing of blood be made affordable,” added Dr Bagga.

He said: “Presently the screening of blood for hepatitis C, hepatitis B, HIV is done by the Elisa method. With the introduction of NAT technique the window period is significantly reduced.”

“It considerably decreases the chances of transmission of infection. To ensure safe healthy blood to patients 100 per cent voluntary blood donation must be achieved, Dr Bagga.