Blood Transfusion Services

Blood Transfusion Service (BTS) is a vital component in any Health Care Delivery System. Kerala gives highest priority for safe Blood Transfusion Service. As a result of the efficient and effective functioning of the Blood Safety Division of Kerala State AIDS Control Society and Kerala State Blood Transfusion Council, Blood Transfusion Service in Kerala has advanced significantly in the areas of donor selection & management, storage, grouping &cross matching of blood units collected, screening of collected blood for transfusion transmissible infections, rational use of blood etc.
At present 180 Blood Centers are functioning in Kerala including 40 Govt. Blood Centers. KSACS is giving priority for the upgradation of all Govt. Blood Centers as Blood Component Separation Units (BCSU) using plan fund. Steps have already been taken for achieving this goal. By 2022, we are aiming at 100% blood components over Whole Blood.

Achievements:

Voluntary Blood Donation

Who is a Voluntary Blood Donor?

“A Voluntary non-remunerated blood donor gives blood, plasma or cellular components of his or her own free will and receives no payment, either in the form of cash or kind which could be considered a substitute for money. This would include time off work other than that reasonably needed for the donation and travel. Small tokens, refreshments and reimbursements of direct travel costs are compatible with voluntary, non-remunerated donation.”

Goal : To wipe off the scarcity of blood and ensure availability of safe and quality blood and other blood components, round the clock and throughout the year. This will lead to alleviation of human sufferings, even to the far-flung remote areas in the country.

Objective:

• Voluntary blood donation is perhaps one of the most perfect examples of altruism in action. The objective of collecting blood through Voluntary blood donation are:
• Provide safe and quality blood and blood components collected from voluntary donors, round the clock, at affordable cost to the general public and free of cost to the poor.
• Ensure safety and quality of blood.
• Motivate and maintain a permanent well-indexed record of voluntary blood donors.
• Educating the community on the beneficial aspects of blood donation and harmful effect of collecting blood from paid donors.
• Actively encourage voluntary blood donation and gradually eliminate professional blood donors.
• Promote AIDS awareness and education to the general public.
• Assists the various Organizations, Clubs, Colleges, Public & Private Institutions and the Public to conduct voluntary blood donation drives and arrange for motivational talks to enable progressively increase the number of voluntary non-remunerated blood donors.

Kerala State Transfusion Policy and Clinical Guide to transfusion

“Kerala State Transfusion Policy and Clinical Guide to transfusion” for standardizing the Blood Transfusion Services all over Kerala and to ensure a uniform transfusion policy.
State transfusion policy lays down eight objectives, each of which addresses a critical step in the journey towards ensuring accessibility, quality, judicial and optimal use of blood products. Clinical guide to transfusion aims to be a compact guide that describes the current paradigms in transfusion practice, to enhance Blood Bank Medical Officers and staffs knowledge and practice skills. Structured into fourteen sections, clinical guide to transfusion presents essential information on blood components and their indications, various aspects of blood administration, essential immunohematology, role of blood transfusion in major clinical specialities, identification and management of adverse reactions, therapeutic apheresis, patient blood management and disaster preparedness.

State Nodal Centre for Blood Transfusion Services

State Nodal Centre for Blood Transfusion Services (SNCBTS) is envisaged to aid in standardization of services provided by blood transfusion services all over Kerala and ensure quality and safety of blood issued. This will serve as a referral centre which includes a panel of experts and advanced testing facilities which is difficult to procure individually in smaller decentralized blood centers.

Blood Mobile Van

The Blood Mobile Van was provided by National AIDS Control Organisation, Govt of India for creating awareness about voluntary blood donation through conducting blood donation camps throughout the state.

This is an air-conditioned vehicle equipped for collecting blood from four donors at a time and facility for accommodating the blood bank team. The ‘Blood Mobile’ serve as Mobile Blood Bank and would be visiting all parts of the State to motivate people to come forward in donating blood which would be stored in the van itself where refrigerated facility for 200 units storage had been provided, besides four comfortable donor couches, built in medical examination room, three LCD televisions, refreshment area, chemical toilet etc music in air conditioned environment to facilitate blood donors. At any given point of time, four donors can enter the air conditioned bus and donate blood. After donation, they will move to the refreshment section before leaving the bus. The vehicle gives complete comforts like that of a modern blood donor room. On an average around 15,000 units of blood is collected in a year through 275 blood donation camps using this van.

“Blood Donation will cost you nothing, but it will save a life!”
“Your little effort can give others second chance to live life.”
“Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more.”