KMC mulls setting up blood bank along PPP model

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is planning to set up a blood bank along the lines of a public private partnership (PPP) model.

The proposed centre will come up at 242 Kalighat Road where KMC has an unused building. The civic authorities will provide the required infrastructure and the centre will be run by a private agency. To set up a blood bank, permission from various agencies is required and proper steps have been taken in this regard. The councilors will conduct voluntary blood donation camps in all the 144 wards. The blood collected from the camps will be kept in the blood bank and people will get it at nominal rates. Talks are now on with several agencies that are experts in running such units.

"It is a specialised job and KMC doctors do not have any knowledge in running blood banks. Hence it will be run on PPP model and discussion is on with those who are experts in the field," said Dr Tapan Mukherjee.

The KMC has also stepped up measures to upgrade its maternity homes. It runs four maternity homes presently — north maternity home, Champamoni maternity home, Kidderpore maternity home and Garden Reach maternity home. The maternity homes were set up around five to six decades ago to popularise institutional delivery.

The KMC has set up an operation theatre and caesarian intervention is being done at Garden Reach maternity home where turnout of women is very high. As all the state-run hospitals have caesarian facility, women prefer to go there and not in KMC maternity homes.

KMC has entered into an understanding with SSKM hospital so that women, who need caesarian intervention, are sent to SSKM.

KMC officials said because of shortage of anesthesiologists there is difficulty in running operation theatres in the maternity homes. However, steps have been taken to address this problem.