THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Aimed at ensuring right blood to the right patient, the government is planning to bring out a comprehensive guideline on blood transfusion, with focus on improving the quality of transfusion and prescribing practices.
The guideline will touch all aspects of blood transfusion, right from collection, storage, transportation, indenting and supply. A task force has already been formed with Thiruvananthapuram Medical College transfusion medicine head Meena as convener for ensuring safe and quality transfusion services.
The guideline will be submitted to the government soon. Meena said it will help in streamlining the process at the hospitals and other health institutions across the state. “The main aim is to rationalise the use of blood,” she said. Currently there is no standard practice for blood transfusion and the procedure differs from one hospital to the other.
There still remains a difference with regard to the exact blood component to be given for a particular disease. There are certain cut-offs for haemoglobin and some hospitals prefer transfusion if it falls below a particular count. All these have to be rationalised and the guidelines will help to standardise the practice, said Dr Meera.
A meeting of specialists and doctors in super specialty wing was held recently to discuss the standardisation of procedure where all the issues were discussed, she said. The guidelines being prepared in the state will be based on the recommendations of the WHO. The WHO representatives were here for guiding the state in formulating the guidelines, said Meera.