B positive: Chandigarh tops charts

June 15, 2010

Aditya Dev, TNN, Jun 15, 2010, 04.50am IST

CHANDIGARH: Chandigarh tops the country in voluntary blood donation (VBD) with a

rating of 85%. Moreover, the collection through VBD has risen to 90% during

January to March, 2010. UT is followed by West Bengal with 78%. Also, city's

blood collection is more than the consumption. Chandigarh blood transfusion

services have also been declared the best in the country by National AIDS

Control Organisation.

In city, approximately 70,000 units of blood is required per year. In the last

financial year (2009-10), 75,350 blood units were collected, of which 85% was

through voluntary blood donation.

Dr MS Bains, UT director, health services, said, " Chandigarh is number one in

voluntary blood donation (85%), whereas the national average is 76% and

neighbouring states have scored less than 75%. "

Dr Vanita Gupta, project director, State AIDS Control Society, said, " This year,

Chandigarh has touched 90% for voluntary blood collection, making it the hub of

the largest proportion of voluntary blood collection in India. " She said VBD was

the safest source of blood transfusion. The target set by the government was

100% voluntary donation and Chandigarh was approaching it.

HIV positivity in blood collected in India is 0.3% and in Chandigarh it is 0.2%.

To reduce this number, Chandigarh State AIDS Control Society and Chandigarh

State Blood Transfusion Council are promoting voluntary non-remunerated blood

donation.

Dr Gupta said, " There are nine parameters to measure blood safety in the

country. These parameters are units of annual blood collection, voluntary blood

donation and annual blood donation camps, among others. To meet these

parameters, the target of 600 blood donation camps was also fulfilled. " Till

March 31, of the 21,183 units collected, 19,083 units came through VBD, making

it 90%. Only 2,100 units were from replacement donors.

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