Imphal, October 28 2008: The Government has started levying taxes/service charge for using blood and other blood components by Government Hospitals and other private hospitals from licensed blood banks from October 1 .

The State Blood Transfusion Council has issued an order in this connection.

However, as for RIMS, it is said that levying service charge would begin from November 1 .

Twenty percent of the service charge collected would be accrued to the State Blood Transfusion Council while the remaining 80 percent to the blood banks concerned.

In Manipur, there are in all three blood banks which have been given license by the Government.

These are the blood bank of JN Hospital, the blood bank of RIMS and the blood bank of the District Hospital, Churachandpur.

Earlier, instead of the service charge at the time of using blood from these blood banks by the Government Hospitals and other private hospitals, the same unit of blood taken was provided from the side of the patient party.

The rate of the service charges to be levied from the Government hospitals are Rs 350 per unit for packed Red cells/whole blood, Rs 200 per unit for fresh frozen Plasma, Rs 200 per unit for Platelet Concentrate, Rs 100 per unit for Cryoprecipitate and Rs 200 per unit for Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) .

For the private hospitals, the amount of the service charges are Rs 850 per unit for Packed Red Cells/Whole Blood, Rs 400 per unit for fresh frozen Plasma, Rs 400 per unit for Platelet Concentrate, Rs 200 per unit for Cryoprecipitate and Rs 400 per unit for Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP).

In connection with the new arrangement of levying service charge, Medical Superintendent of RIMS Y Mohen informed that as of RIMS it would be effected from November 1 .

On the necessity of levying the service charge, Dr Mohen explained that it is to be levied as the fee for the required tests on the blood donated by volunteers or provided in lieu of the blood taken from the blood banks by the patient's party.

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