Departments

• Voluntary blood donors are the cornerstone of a safe and adequate supply of blood and blood products. The safest blood donors are voluntary, non – remunerated blood donors from low-risk populations.
• For a safe blood service in our country, where comprehensive laboratory tests are neither possible nor pragmatic, it is best to switch over to 100% voluntary donations, as it is now established that only voluntary non-remunerated regular donation is the safest. Thus, one of our key strategies to enhance blood safety is blood from non-remunerated blood donors and phasing out even replacement donors.
• Less than 1% of the eligible Indian population donates blood every year; this is far less than average rate of 5% in the Western world. When you donate blood, you become part of an exceptional group that is dedicated to alleviate the human suffering.
• The fact is that human blood has no substitute and it cannot be manufactured.

Blood Donation Procedure

Blood donation is a simple procedure. It consists of 5 steps:

• Registration : Your personal details such as name, age, demographic information will be recorded and you will be a given a questionnaire to assess your present and past health status. You should give correct and complete address for communication if there is any abnormality in laboratory test.
• Medical Examination : A doctor will ask you certain questions about your medical history to ascertain that you are fit to donate blood and examine you. Your weight, blood pressure and pulse will be recorded. Only fit and healthy individuals are accepted as donors.
• Hemoglobin Test : Your blood hemoglobin level will be checked to ensure that you are not suffering from anemia and can safely donate a unit of blood.
• Donation of Blood : Your blood will be withdrawn with the help of a sterile and disposable kit after cleaning your arm with an antiseptic solution. All together, the process takes only 5 to 7 minutes.
• Refreshment : After donation of blood, you will be advised to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before you resume your routine activities. During this period, you will be served with some light refreshments.

Blood Processing Laboratory :

• The Blood Bank is licensed by the Drugs Controller of India.
• Activities of this laboratory include
• Donor blood processing: Tests for determining the ABO group & Rh type, detecting unexpected antibodies to red cell antigens, confirmation of Rh negative status by Du testing, resolving ABO discrepancies, etc.,
• Cross matching and Issue of blood and components.

Blood Component Laboratory :

• Blood is a precious human resource. To exercise maximum economy in its use, every unit of blood is separated into various components, such as packed red cells, fresh frozen plasma, platelets, cryoprecipitate.

Transfusion Transmitted Infection Screening Laboratory :

• Provision of safe blood is of utmost priority. Every unit of blood is screened for HbsAg, Anti-HIV 1&2, Anti-HCV, VDRL and Malaria.

Immunohematology Laboratory :

• Various investigations that are performed include, DAT, IAT, Elution tests, antibody screening, antibody identification & titer, RBC Phenotyping, Saliva screening test, Cryoglobulin test, Cold antibodies etc.

Quality Control Laboratory :

• To achieve objectives of supply of quality and safe blood, strict adherence to quality control at all phases of donor selection, screening & processing of blood & serological procedures for grouping and typing of blood are being followed routinely.
• All reagents, antisera, blood components and equipments are subjected to strict quality checks at periodic intervals according to the standards.

• National AIDS Control Organization has identified our Blood Bank as the Regional Centre for conducting External Quality Control.
• Our Laboratory is also participating in External Quality Assessment Programme (EQAS) conducted by Christian Medical College, Vellore.