Govt to consider request for blood banks in hospitals

SHILLONG: The Health Department will consider setting up blood banks at hospitals as well as including blood donation under the state health cover scheme, Health and Family Welfare Minister AL Hek said on Friday.
Replying to questions raised by Independent MLA SK Sunn, Hek said it was not mandatory for every hospital to have blood bank on the premises.
When Sunn stressed the need to have blood banks on the premises of Civil Hospital and Ganesh Das Hospital, Hek said, “Will try to examine to have blood banks in hospitals.”
Replying to a supplementary question raised by Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh, Hek said blood is available at the Regional Blood Bank at Pasteur Institute, Tura Civil Hospital, Jowai Civil Hospital, NEIGRIHMS, Military Hospital, Robert Hospital and Nazareth Hospital.
Congress MLA George B Lyngdoh on Friday raised concerns over easy money-making by blood sellers in the open market.
Taking part in the discussion during question hour, Lyngdoh said people who cannot replace blood in blood banks turn to the open market, which is not legal, while blood marketers earn around Rs 8,000.
In this connection, he asked Hek whether options will be explored to include blood donation under the Megha Health Insurance Scheme. At this, the minister replied that the matter will be examined.