JOIN USNew guidelines for selling blood soon in City
New guidelines will be issued to ensure that all the private hospitals in the city would allow the patients with Red Cross cards to purchase blood from the Red Cross blood bank, rather than insisting them to buy blood from the hospital’s blood bank, said Deputy Commissioner Dr N S Channappa Gowda.
The decision was taken following several complaints from the Indian Red Cross Society members at the annual general body meeting of the Indian Red Cross Society district unit at the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Monday. The members alleged that the private hospitals in the city do not entertain the Red Cross card holders to buy blood from the Red Cross blood bank when they are admitted to hospitals. The DC announced that the blood store unit which is presently functioning at Athena Hospital will be shifted to Lady Goschen Hospital and the store will start functioning from September 1. “The blood bank was functioning at Athena Hospital as there was lack of space at the Lady Goschen Hospital. But with the renovation of the hospital building, provision has been made for the functioning of the blood bank. The bank will be managed by the Lady Goschen Hospital doctors,” he said.
Society member Hanumanth Kamath complained the private hospitals of charging exorbitant rates for blood compared to the price of blood sold at the government hospitals. “The private hospitals charge Rs 1,200 for one unit of blood, while it is sold for Rs 700 at the government hospitals. This practice should be stopped,” he demanded. Responding to the issue, the Deputy Commissioner Dr N S Channappa Gowda said that new guidelines will be issued to introduce an uniform price policy for the blood.
General body election soon
The members of the Red Cross Society expressed discontentment over the way of nomination of the office-bearers for the Society’s district unit. The issue led to heated arguments between the members and the office-bearers. Society members N G Mohan and Vishnumurthy alleged that the appointment of the office-bearers of the society was not as per the constitutional framework of the Red Cross Society.
“Election for the post of office-bearers of the Society has not been held for the last five years. The President of the Society was nominated and was not elected as per the framework. The Vice-president has continued in the post even after completion of his ter. Hence, the office-bearers should re-elected constitutionally,” he demanded. Society President and Orthopaedist Dr Shantaram Shetty readily agreed for the re-election at any time. He informed that the matter will be written to the electoral officer and the election will be held at the earliest.