Maharashtra government mulls revival of 'blood-on-call' scheme

Mumbai, Feb 4: Maharashtra Government is planning to revamp the 'Jeevan Amrut Yojana' (blood-on-call) scheme which is aimed at facilitating blood supply to patients scheduled to undergo surgeries and medical procedures in remote areas.

The Yojana was launched last year, under which the patients have to pay Rs 450 towards the cost of blood and Rs 50 to Rs 100 as transportation cost depending on the distance, and request (for blood) is placed by the hospital concerned.

Upon receiving the call, the required blood and blood components will be transported on motorcycle to hospitals and nursing homes, in the specially fitted cold storage boxes.

The ambitious plan was said to be first-of-its-kind in the country.

State Health Minister Deepak Sawant said the response for the scheme has not been on lines of government's expectations and now they intend to strengthen the network of blood storage units in rural areas.

"Instead of transporting blood through motorcycles, we intend to strengthen network of blood storage units in rural areas. Accordingly, there should be one unit in the periphery of four primary health care centres. This would be more feasible," he added.

The minister said the 108 ambulance service scheme, launched by the previous government is also being reviewed.

The ambulance service was to facilitate transport of a patient to the nearest hospital within the first 'golden' hour of an emergency or a road accident, by dialing 108.

Sawant said there are 937 ambulances under the Scheme, which has worked well. "However, we plan to ensure its utilisation in areas where it is needed," he said.

Sawant said his department has taken up the initiative of tracking pregnant women in tribal areas to ensure institutional deliveries in order to arrest maternal mortality deaths.

"Women will be counselled for safe deliveries. Last year in Amravati region, 300 pregnant women died," he said.

PTI