Media release

Mangaluru, Jun 12: Voluntary Blood Donation Week was inaugurated on Wednesday, June 12 to mark the World Blood Donor’s Day (June 14) at A J Blood Bank, which has been in the forefront in upgrading technology in Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine.

On this occasion, Fully Automated Cell Separator was lunched. Dr. Prashanth Marla, Medical Director, A J Hospital gave an overview of the A J Blood Bank and World Blood Donor’s Day which was followed by a guest lecture by eminent Transfusion Medicine Specialist Dr Ankith Mathur, Consultant Transfusion Medicine, Transplant Immunology, Rotary T T K Blood Bank, Bangalore. With the addition of this new equipment, A J Blood Bank is now ready for Apheresis Technology in which blood is withdrawn from a donor in an anticoagulant solution & separated into components. One component is retained and remaining constituents are returned to the individual. The advantage is its simplicity in operation & it is completed with single venipuncture. The added advantage is that a donor can donate within a week as compared to traditional donation, where a minimum of three months are required between one voluntary blood donation to the other.

Fully Automated Cell Separator was inaugurated by Dr Prashanth Marla, Medical Director, Dr Amitha Marla, Director Medical Administration, A J Hospital, Dr. Ashok Hegde, Dean A J Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr.Muktha Pai, HoD, Pathology.

Programme began with prayer by Ms. Vinoda and Ms. Padma. Dr. Aravind P, Blood Bank Officer welcomed the gathering, P R Gopalkrishna delivered vote of thanks and Dr Varsha, Pathology PG compered the programme.