Experts throw light on blood transfusion

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 2

The Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) is organising the three-day 44th National Conference of Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology, which entered the second day today.

The chief guest for the event was Dr Raj Bahadur, Vice-Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences. The CME was inaugurated with a lamp-lighting ceremony by Dr Raj Bahadur, PIMS resident director Amit Singh, director principal Dr Kulbir Kaur, Dr Gurinder Kaur Chawla (Civil Surgeon), Dr GS Gill (member PMC), Dr Sangeeta Pathak (Secretary ISBTI), Dr Vinita Srivastava (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare), president of ISBTI Dr Yudhbir Singh, along with other guests.

Raj Bahadur said: “Blood transfusion is an evolving subject of medical sciences. The blood is living tissue that get transferred from one person to another and hence requires utmost care.”

Dr Kulbir Kaur, said various topics, including voluntary blood donation, immunohaematology, quality management system, stem cell, gene therapy, plasma exchange, transplant immunology, bone marrow cancer and clinical transfusion practices were being delved into by the experts.

“An advance test like Nat testing has helped a lot. Earlier blood reports of fatal diseases like HIV, Hepatitis B & C were available after one month, but now investigation can be done in 4-5 days through this technique. The method of extracting white cells from blood has become easier. Now we can also use components of blood and blood separately”, she said.

Amit Singh said: “It’s a matter of pride not only for the PIMS but for Jalandhar to hold the national-level conference. The conference has got high registration from all regions of the country. Nearly 650 doctors participated in this conference. Doctors and health workers’ good work in the field of blood transfusion was honoured.”