CM flags off 5 nos Mobile Blood Donation Vans
Rongili Barta- In order to increase the voluntary blood donation in the state, 5 nos of Mobile Blood Donation Vans were flagged off by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma in presence of Hon’ble Minister of Health & FW, Assam, Shri Keshab Mahanta, Addl. Chief Secretary to the Govt of Assam, Health & FW Deptt. Shri Avinash Joshi, IAS, Director, Assam State Blood Transfusion Council (ASBTC) Smt. Indranoshee Das and a host of dignitaries at Janata Bhawan, Guwahati on November 7, 2023. Speaking on the occasion as Chief Guest, the Chief Minister said, “During the year 2019-20, with the funding of Government of Assam, Assam State Blood Transfusion Council (ASBTC) procured 11 nos of Mobile Blood Donation vans. In the year 2022-23, Government of Assam procured another 5 nos of Mobile Blood Donation Vans with support from NHM with a total budget of Rs 433.73 lakh. The Mobile Blood Donation Vans have truly helped in increasing voluntary blood donation in the state. At times it happens that due to non-availability of a particular blood group, the patients in the hospitals find great difficulty in getting the particular blood group. When there is sufficient blood of all blood groups in hospitals, poor people who come to hospitals to take blood do not face any problem.” The Minister further said, “A total of 10, 886 units of blood has been collected through the 11 nos of Mobile Blood Donation Vans and I believe that today after the addition of 5 nos of vans, the voluntary blood donation drive would increase. During the current financial year, we will procure another 5 nos of vans and by 2024-25, we will ensure that all the district hospitals and medical colleges will have Mobile Blood Donation Vans.” Speaking on the occasion, Health Minister Shri Keshab Mahanta said, “Voluntary blood donation movement has to gain momentum in the state and more and more people should come forward for voluntary blood donation. The mobile blood donation vans will move into the far-flung areas in Assam so that the people of the remote areas can donate blood voluntarily and our state can achieve the goal of 100% voluntary blood donation.” The 5 new Mobile Blood Donation Vans will be stationed at Kokrajhar Medical College & Hospital, BTAD, Gauhati Medical College & Hospital, Kamrup (M), S M Dev Civil Hospital, Cachar, Mangaldai Civil Hospital, Darrang and Sivasagar Civil Hospital, Sivasagar. It may be mentioned that Government of Assam has procured 11 nos of Mobile Blood Donation vans in the year 2019 and 2020. These vans are stationed at different district Civil Hospital/ Medical College Hospital Blood Centers. They include Jorhat Medical College & Hospital which covers Jorhat, Golaghat, Majuli districts, Diphu Medical College & Hospital which covers Karbi-Anglong, West-Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao districts, Lakhimpur Medical College Hospital which cover Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts, Dhubri Medical College Hospital which covers Dhubri, South Salmara Mancachar, Bongaigaon, Chirang districts, Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Civil Hospital now at GMCH covers Kamrup (M), Kamrup, Goalpara districts, AMCH Dibrugarh covers Dibrugarh, Tinsukia Sivasagar, Charaideu districts, BP Civil Hospital Nagaon covers Nagaon, Hojai, Morigaon districts, SMCH Cachar covers Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi districts, Tezpur MCH Sonitpur covers Sonitpur, Biswanath, Udalguri, Mangaldai districts, FAAMCH Barpeta covers Barpeta, Baska, Kokrajhar districts, SMK Civil Hospital Nalbari covers Bajali and Tamulpur districts. At present, there are 32 numbers of Govt. Blood Banks in Assam. These Blood Banks conducts Voluntary Blood Donation Camps frequently by mobilizing these Vans across the State. These Vans have played an important role for smooth conduction of Voluntary Blood Donation in collaboration with various NGOs and Social Organization.