THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Reaching out to patients suffering from blood disorders (thalassemia, haemophilia, sickle cell anaemia, haemoglobinopathies and others), a State Blood Cell was established at SAT Hospital on Saturday. Through the cell, daycare centres for blood disorders will come up in all districts. In addition, haemophilia treatment centres will be set up in taluk hospitals.
Launching the centre, Health Minister K K Shailaja said four regional centres will be established — Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, District Hospital, Aluva, Government Medical College, Kozhikode, and District Hospital, Mananthavady.The project director of Kerala State AIDS Control Society will act as the state nodal officer of the cell.
The implementation of the programme has been entrusted through a state-level steering committee headed by the health minister and a technical committee headed by the state mission director of the National Health Mission.“Similar cells have been established in neighbouring states. As the state has a considerable number of patients suffering from blood disorders, this cell is a necessity. It will ensure that they are provided with quality care and medicines,” said an officer with the health department.
Other objectives of the cell include working in national and global projects on haemophilia, bleeding disorder projects or studies, coordinating with NGOs and patient bodies to improvise haemophilia care and to closely monitor the requirement of anti-haemophilia factors of all haemophilia treatment centres and designated government medical college hospitals.