Now, track blood from collection till it reaches patient says health minister Veena George in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A new system will be introduced in the field of blood collection in the state, said health minister Veena George on Sunday. A state-of-the-art blood bag traceability system is being implemented that can track the blood from collection to donation.
A vein-to-vein traceability technology is used in this system, by which, it is possible to accurately identify the temperature and avoid blood loss after the expiry period.After a successful trial run, the health department is working to implement this system in 42 govt blood banks and 57 blood stores in the state, said George.
Normal blood is stored at 2 to 8Celsius. If the blood temperature is lower or higher than this, there will be a reaction in the patient's body. Accurate temperature monitoring is possible through this technology. The blood bag has RFID (radio frequency identification), by which if the temperature of blood varies, the message comes to the registered mobile phone or e-mail. The blood can be withdrawn immediately. It also ensures quality. Through this technology it is possible to recall blood through the portal accurately without reaching the expiry date. Therefore it is possible to minimize the amount of blood wastage, said the minister.
Safe blood collection is done through a variety of procedures. After the blood is collected on a sterile cover, a serology test is performed to check for blood-borne diseases. If found to be infected with HIV, Hepatitis B-C, Malaria and Syphilis, the blood will be destroyed and discarded. And the blood donor will be called and re-examined and if the disease is confirmed, counselling and treatment will be done.
Separated blood components are stored in separate containers with refrigeration system. Red cells are stored in blood bank refrigerators at 4 to 6C. It can be kept intact for up to a month. Platelets are stored in a platelet agitator at 20 to 24C. Its lifespan is only three to five days. Plasma is stored in a deep freezer at -20, -40 and -80C. Platelets should be given to the patient immediately. Plasma should be given in full within 30 minutes and red cells within 2-3 hours.