Blood Bank in Baramulla district is headed by renowned doctor of north Kashmir Dr. Reyaz Ahmad War who always inspires people, friends and relatives to join the noble cause of saving lives. The Legitimate’s Reyaz Rashid talks to Dr. War about the importance of blood donation and its ever increasing need at the district hospital Baramulla. Here are the excerpts.
Reyaz Rashid: How much blood is required every month at district hospital Baramulla?
Dr. Reyaz Ahmad War: In our Hospital, we require about 100-150 units every month as this hospital has huge influx of patients who needs blood.
RR: What is the life span of reserved blood in hospital?
Dr. RW: The life span of blood in the blood bag is 30-35 days under proper storage conditions.
RR: If people in large number turn for blood donation do we have capacity to store it?
Dr. RW: We can store upto 300 units in our blood bank.
RR: How often a donor can donate blood?
Dr. RW: A healthy person can donate 3 times every year that means one can donate after period of four month. So why not to help someone in this stipulated time of 4 months. And even if we don’t donate blood, it gets replaced every 3-4 monthly. It does not stay forever in our biological system. It becomes old and is replaced by new cells. When donate, blood gets stimulated to produce fresh cells.
RR: Does blood donation have any negative impact on donor’s health?
Dr. RW: Blood donation has no ill effects on the donor. it is the recipient who is prone to contract some diseases if not properly screened before transfusion. Our bone marrow is the factory of manufacturing the blood cells. It is constantly manufacturing the cells. But of course you have to check the donor whether he is medically fit to donate. We do a medical examination before receiving any donation. He has to be healthy. Age must be between 18-65 years. His/her Haemoglobin (HB) should be more than 12.5 etc .He/She should not be suffering from disease, so we ask a brief history about the common illnesses.
RR: Is there any alternative to blood?
Dr RW: Despite the advances in modern Science, blood still can’t be manufactured in the laboratories. So we depend on somebody’s blood donation.
RR: What is latest advancement in blood transfusion?
Dr RW: One unit of blood can save three patients if separate components are given. We have this technology available at SMHS and SKIMS. Its fluid part gets replaced in 24-36 hrs, red cells get replaced in 2-4 wks while as white cells and platelets are replaced within few hours only. Life span of red blood cells is 100-120 days inside the body.
RR: Your message to people?
RW: We expect everything from Government. Even we expect free blood from it. Government has provided the infrastructure, screening kits and the man power. And we have to keep our blood banks fully stored with blood so that it can be utilized for emergency purposes. If everyone donates once every year, we will never ever have shortage of blood in our blood banks.
