Hyderabad, The Telangana government has decided to collect blood at the Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM) in Hyderabad to address the shortage of blood in view of COVID-19 induced lockdown and avoid cross infections among voluntary donors at other blood centres.

As no regular voluntary blood donation camps are being conducted by government-run blood banks since the lockdown began last month, the health authorities decided to collect blood at standalone blood centre at IPM Narayanaguda to avoid cross infections among voluntary donors at hospital attached with blood centres.

Additional staff is being deputed to IPM Blood Center, which will collect on an average 100 to 115 units per day, further processed into components, during the period of COVID-19 pandemic.

IPM blood bank will issue blood units in single in emergency or bulk as per the request received from the concerned hospital blood centre.

Officials said the objective of this move was to minimize infection transmission in COVID- 9 pandemic for both donor and recipient, rationale use of resources including human resources, equipment and consumables. It will be easy to maintain and will also ensure rational use of mobile blood van and blood collection van availability. The centre will be accessible to all donors and serve all the government blood bank in the districts.

Donors will be called for donations on allotted slots to reduce cross infections. There will be proper counselling and motivation to donors. With the single facility it will be easy to monitor and regulate collection and the needy can be in emergency situations. Officials hope that the move will also reduce the wastage of blood and to enlist rare blood groups and ensure the availability.

Telangana has nearly 1723 patients suffering with Thalassemia disease. All these patients are required regular blood transfusion twice a month.