Metros to have transfusion-excellence blood banks

New Delhi, July 31 : The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today gave its approval for the setting up of four metro blood banks as centres of excellence in transfusion medicine.

The blood banks would be set up at a cost of Rs. 468 crores out of which Rs. 228 crore will be a part of the ongoing National AIDS Control Programme-III (NACP-III).

These centres will be located at New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

Each centre will ensure 24-hour availability of blood and is designed to meet the highest standards of safety.

Out of Rs.468.00 crores earmarked for the project, Rs.168 crores will be for building construction and equipment, Rs.80 crores for manpower and Rs.220 crores for consumables and other recurring expenditure.

These four centres would help in strengthening blood transfusion services in the country for access to safe and quality blood and blood products in metro cities, which would be comparable to international standards.

ANI