Demand for platelets shoots up at Wenlock

Demand for platelets shoots up at Wenlock

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, July 15, 2015 :  Demand for platelets have gone up at the Regional Blood Transfusion Centre of Government Wenlock Hospital in view of the increasing number of dengue cases in the district. The centre has the only government-run blood bank in Dakshina Kannada, situated at Lady Goshen hospital near by.

Statistics provided by J. Sharath Kumar Rao, senior specialist at the centre, 167 units of platelets were issued by the centre in June against 70 in May. The centre charges Rs. 200 per unit of platelet for a person admitted at a government hospital, while Rs. 400 was the charge in private hospitals. It is given for free to those belonging to BPL - Below Poverty Line families.  The centre issued 1,200 units of whole blood and other blood components in June, Dr. Rao said.

He told  media  that the blood donated by a fit person whose weight was more than 70 kg was taken for component separation.  Of the 80 fit persons who donated blood on the University College campus on July 14, Tuesday, only those of 16 were chosen for component separation. The blood of each of these donors was collected in a 450 ml blood bag which is then used for separating red cells, plasma and platelets.

The blood of donors whose weight is between 55 kg and 70 kg is collected in a 350 ml blood bag and preserved as whole blood, he said. Dr. Rao said  nearly four hours were required for separating components from the whole blood. The shelf-life of platelets is four days. The platelets are issued as soon as the demand is made.

With the addition of 16 units, the centre will have a total of 19 units. Dr. Rao said the centre was planning more voluntary blood donation camps to make available the whole blood and blood components.