Three more Blood banks in Manipur soon

IMPHAL: With the trend of voluntary blood donation (VBD) catching up in Manipur, at least three more blood banks will be set up in the hills, including Moreh bordering Myanmar, this year, a senior officer of the state-run Manipur State AIDS Control Society (Macs) said.

The other two banks will be opened at Thoubal district headquarters and Senapati district hospital, Macs deputy director LR Kom said at a workshop on VBD in Imphal on Saturday.

He added that the state already has four blood banks at Rims Hospital and Shija Hospitals in Imphal West, JNIMS Hospital in Imphal East and Churachandpur District Hospital.

Though Manipur witnessed a meager voluntary blood donation figure, contributing only 9 per cent to the total requirement of blood in 2008-2009, it increased to 21 per cent in 2009-2010 and jumped up to 52 per cent in 2010-2011. During 2011-2012, the figure dwindled to 43 per cent before going up to 48 per cent in 2012-2013.

The blood bank at Shija Hospitals christened 'Shija Blood and Transfusion Services' equipped with Nucleic Acid Technology (NAT) was opened under PPP model, Kom said.

Another Macs deputy director L Tomcha Khuman, who personally donated blood 32 times, expressed optimism that the rate of VBD will increase.