Source: The Sangai Express / PTI
Chennai, Aug 26:
The Union Health Ministry is exploring the possibility of setting up four Regional Centres of Excellence on blood transfusion and separation of blood components, Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said here today.
Speaking at a conference of Vice Chancellors and school principals, Ramadoss said the use of blood components was alarmingly low in India when compared to the global scenario.
"In India, the ratio of use of blood components to whole blood is 15:85 per cent while globally it is 90:10 per cent." Ramadoss said these centres would conduct research in the area of blood components and train young professionals in blood transfusion courses.
The government would set up 500 component separation units in the country.
While the country required seven million units of blood per annum, only 5.5 million units were available, he said.
"In order to find a solution to this crisis, the Health Ministry plans to open one quality blood bank in every district in the country with NACO funding," he said.
He also said the government would take steps to increase the voluntary blood donation, which was 52 per cent now, to 80 per cent.
The Centre proposes to bring a legislation in the winter session of Parliament to prevent stigma and discrimination of HIV/AIDS affected adults and children in educational institutions, work places and places of treatment, he said.
"Under the third phase of the National Aids Control Programme, a high intensity campaign has been launched with a total outlay of Rs.12,000 crore, which will be spent in the next five years for HIV/AIDS control and management," he said.
About 80 per cent of these funds will go towards prevention of HIV cases, he said.
Asserting that the high risk groups at present, were youths between 15 and 25 years of age, Ramadoss urged the Vice-Chancellors of several Universities and the principals of various schools to influence the youth through peer groups formed by Red Ribbon Clubs and give them awareness on sex-related diseases and prevention.
The Centre was thinking of introducing bi-weekly Health Education sessions, in the school curriculum.
The long pending Red Ribbon Express train will hit the tracks within a couple of months, Ramadoss said.
The Centre plans to treat as many as three lakh HIV/AIDS patients in the next four years and 10,000 children by next year, he said.
Tamil Nadu Governor SS Barnala, State Health Minister KKSSR Ramachandran and State Hr Edn Minister K Ponmudy also participated in the conference.