Eight per cent of the total cases of HIV are through Blood transfusion

[Guest guest]

Seminar on safe blood concludes

[ " Blood transfusion is becoming a major cause for spread of AIDS in

India as eight per cent of the total cases are taking place due to

blood transfusion]

NEW DELHI: A large number of doctors, technicians and social workers

from blood banks from across the country took part in a two-day

seminar on " Safe blood and healthy living: Initiatives to fight

HIV/AIDS " that concluded in the Capital on Sunday.

The seminar, inaugurated by the Uttranchal Governor Sudershan

Agarwal, was organised by National Aids Control Organisation (NACO),

State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) and Rotary Blood Bank.

Speaking on the inaugural day, Mr. Agarwal said: " The country needs

to scale up its HIV/AIDS programme to curb the epidemic and to

tackle everyday obstacles including generating awareness about the

disease, setting up adequate testing facilities, removing the social

stigma associated with the disease and take steps to train health

care workers including doctors, nurses and midwives to deal with

public health threats. "

The Governor added that political apathy, lack of information and

desperate poverty were some of the major reasons for the rapid

spread of HIV/ AIDS in India.

According to Rotary Blood Bank director M.B. Kaushal, the aim of the

seminar was to discuss the major issues that are worrying experts in

the area of HIV/AIDS control including safe blood transfusion in the

context of AIDS, psycho-social issues associated with HIV/AIDS,

spreading awareness on AIDS and relevant legal issues.

Speaking about the need to ensure that safe blood is provided to

patients, Tata Memorial Hospital Department of Transfusion Medicine

head Dr. Sunil Rajadhyaksha said: " Blood transfusion is becoming a

major cause for spread of AIDS in India as eight per cent of the

total cases are taking place due to blood transfusion, while 82 per

cent cases in India are due to unprotected sex. "

http://www.hindu.com/2006/09/18/stories/2006091819250300.htm