Published on February 26, 2006
HYDERABAD: Paucity of funds has hit hard the plans of the Andhra Pradesh Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (APVVP) to open an additional 54 blood banks in its hospitals across the State.
The proposed blood banks were to be opened in the hospitals, which were closer to the state and national highways so that they can act as trauma centres and ensure supply of blood during emergencies like accidents.
At present, there are only 25 blood banks functioning under the APVVP’s control and as they were inadequate to meet the demand, it was proposed to open 54 more units.
Of them, 46 were to be located in area hospitals, six in community health centres and the remaining two in district hospitals. The cost of each blood bank was estimated to be around Rs 20 lakh.
When the proposal came up for discussion at a high-level meeting, the Government, while expressing its inability to provide over Rs 10 crore, advised the APVVP to implement the plan in a phased manner.
The Government also directed that the concerned district coordinator of hospital services and medical superintendents should generate funds seeking donations from philanthropists, from the Assembly Constituency Development Funds of the local MLAs and MPLAD funds etc for establishing these blood banks.
Accordingly, the APVVP planned to open 21 blood banks including one at Tandur district hospital and the remaining 20 in the area hospitals at Tekkali, Narsipatnam, Parvathipuram, Amalapuram, Tadepalligudem, Nuzvid, Kandukur, Bapatla, Pullivendula, Srikalahasti, Madanapalli, Kadiri, Godavarikhani, Miryalaguda, Jangaon, Bodhan, Mancherial, Siddipet, Wanaparthy and Adoni in the first phase.
Despite making all efforts, only ten of the 21 hospitals could raise funds to the tune of about Rs 40 lakh. Except in Tekkali, where the public contribution was more than 50 per cent, the donations were between Rs one and five lakh in other places.
The APVVP authorities are now exploring the possibility of seeking assistance under the Centrally-sponsored Centre for Maternity & Obstetrics and Neonatal Care programme of the second phase of the Reproductive Child Health project.
“We have requested to Centre to provide funds for 19 blood banks under the programme and awaiting a decision,” APVVP officials told this website’s newspaper.
Once cleared by the Centre the blood banks can be commissioned in the next financial year, they said.
State Govt is reluctant to provide even a mere Rs 10 crore to APVVP which plans 54 more blood banks.
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