CHENNAI: The State Health department has issued general instructions and also ‘dos and don’ts’ framed by the Tamil Nadu State Blood Transfusion Council based on National AIDS Control Organisation guidelines.
The general instructions were circulated after maternal deaths were allegedly reported due to blood transfusion reactions in three government hospitals in the State. There are 89 blood banks under the Tamil Nadu AIDS Control Society and the health department circulated the instructions to these units through its officials on Friday.
The health department instructed the management of the hospitals not to assign additional duties to blood bank medical officers and staff. “Blood bank staff nurses, lab technicians and counsellors should not be assigned any other additional duties other than blood bank work,” the letter said. “Screened and unscreened blood bags should not be kept in the same refrigerator. Ensure proper working with adequate cold chain maintenance in both, screened and unscreened refrigerators. Ensure proper functioning of cold chain in blood collection and transportation vehicle,” it said.
The instructions came after it was alleged that blood that was not fit for transfusion, was administered to the women and the maintenance and functioning of cold chain maintenance was questioned.
“All the tests for transfusion transmissible infection done by the lab technicians should be physically verified by the blood bank medical officer before signing and approving daily,” it added.
“The blood bank medical officers should monitor the temperature recorded in the blood bank refrigerator and deep freezer properly. District blood bank transfusion officers should visit all government facilities within their jurisdiction to ensure that rules are followed,” the letter added.
Meanwhile speaking to Express, an official source said, “These dos’ and don’ts are framed by the National AIDS Control Organisation and all the staff are aware of it as the hospitals usually circulate these guidelines internally. But now after the recent incidents, it was circulated by the health department to reinstate those safety measures.”