CUTTACK: In yet another move set to benefit patients, a blood bank will soon be set up at Acharya Harihar Post Graduate Institute of Cancer (AHPGIC).
Sources said the upcoming blood bank will alleviate problems being faced by patients or their attendants in availing blood. The move will also enable the institute to comply with the guidelines of the National Medical Commission (NMC).
At present, the 281-bed government cancer hospital which witnesses 700 to 1,000 patient footfalls depends on the Red Cross blood bank and SCB Medical College and Hospital for blood. Over 10,000 units of blood are transfused every year at the institute.
As per the statuary guidelines of NMC, government hospitals transfusing over 5,000 units of blood must have a blood bank of their own. As AHPGIC did not have its blood bank, the NMC has been expressing displeasure over it during the assessment of the institute’s infrastructure.
“The blood bank is a mandatory requirement for a cancer hospital. We were unable to set up a blood bank and comply with the NMC guidelines due to space crunch even as we faced problems in availing blood and its different components like plasma, platelets, etc required for the treatment of patients. However with the expansion of the hospital, we are going to set up a blood bank soon,” said AHPGIC director Lalatendu Sarangi.
Besides, the institute will also apply for a DM course in Medical Oncology and setting up of a bone marrow transplant unit for which a blood bank is mandatory. “The state government has accorded administrative approval for setting up of the blood bank. We have identified the site and already developed it. The blood bank will be set up on the LINAC building (first floor),” said Sarangi.