Blood Safety

Blood transfusion Services(BTS), APSACS

Human blood is an essential element of human life, and there are no substitutes. Blood transfusion services occupy a vital place space in any National Health Service delivery system. Blood is also a scare resource. The availability of safe and adequate blood saves lives. If not properly screened, however, blood becomes a conduit for transmitting life threatening viral, bacterial and protozoal infections.

The main objective of blood safety programme is driven by the need to continually improve and upgrade the availability and safety of blood and blood products and to facilitate  self sustaining blood transfusion programme.

Typically , two categories of persons need blood transfusion: those with emergent requirement e.g,  victims of road accident, civilian and military disaster; and those with repeated, frequent and regular requirement  e.g, patients with thalassemia, haemophilia, renal dialysis, severe anaemia and cancer. Patients who must undergo repeated transfusion are at greater risk of acquiring transfusion transmitted infections (TTIs). The only way to protect recipients of blood is to put in a place structure, processes and procedures that will ensure access to safe and sufficient blood supply. This now a vital medical need.

Human blood is categorized as a ‘Drug’under section 3(b) of the drugs and cosmetics Act, 1940. This Act and the Rules thereof provide the legal framework for regulating the functioning of blood banks, which in turn directly impacts and determine blood transfusion delivery in the country.

The National AIDS Control Project (1992-99) heralded the onset of Blood safety programme. This has contributed significantly to improving the quality of blood/ blood products and service delivery in india. The programme financed HIV test kits, facilitated technical assistance on blood safety and upgraded equipment in government blood banking facilities. It also sponsored information, education and communication (IEC) campaigns at both national and state levels to generate awareness about the potential danger of unsafe blood from unlicensed blood banks and professional donors, and promoted a movement for voluntary blood donation.

In the line with the National AIDS Control Programme the following are the main component activities of Blood Transfusion Division, APSACS:-

1. Modernization of Blood Bank:

There are in total eight (8) NACO supporting blood banks under the A.P. State AIDS Control Society, consisting  of  two(2) Major Blood Ban(MBB) – and six (6) District Level Blood Bank (DLBB).

1. Training programme in BTS:

Periodic training is provided on blood bank procedures and quality management to blood bank staff by NACO identified training institutes  to the blood bank staff viz , Laboratory technicians, Nurses, counselors and Medical officers.

1. Conduction of Voluntary blood donation camps:

The annual total blood requirement for our state is 13,000-14,000 unit of blood as per national norm of 1% of total population of state /region. To achieve this blood requirement of our state,  APSACS in coordination with various stake holders organizes regular voluntary blood donation camps.  Our partners are the various colleges, Community based organizations (CBO), Faith Based Organizations (FBO), Military & Paramilitary forces, and also with local blood donor organizations.

1. Observation of Blood Donation days:

With the rest of the country APSACS also celebrate annually two main events: World Blood Donor’s Day on 14^th June every year and on 1^st October, the National Voluntary Blood donation Day. These are special days, in which the voluntary blood donors and various organizations & institution who are working round the clock to save valuable human lives through blood donation are felicitated and thanked and also various activities related to the spreading the messages of voluntary blood donation are organized across the state to create awareness on voluntary blood donation.

IEC on Voluntary blood donation days:

Aggressive campaigns on both print and electronic media are utilized for the dissemination of  information on the importance of voluntary blood donation. Focus is giving the general public correct knowledge about blood donation and to dispel the myths and misconceptions prevalent in the mindset of the people. In the print form, leaflets, pamphlets, posters and banners are distributed to the public on various occasions for wider publicity. Likewise, panel discussions in TV & Radio, release of short documentaries on VBD and also recently social sites like facebook, twitter, watsapp etc are being incorporated to broaden reach of information to the masses.