Odisha CM flags off blood collection, vaccine vans

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today flagged off new blood collection and vaccine vans for different regions of the state.

These vans will enhance our capacity to serve in remote areas, the Chief Minister said.

Five new mobile blood collection vans were flagged off for four districts. Two vans were rolled out for Keonjhar and one each for Angul, Jharsuguda and Kandhamal, said an official.

At present, there are 56 blood banks and 14 mobile blood collection vans in Odisha. More mobile blood collection vans will be added to the existing strength, added the official.

In order to increase voluntary blood collection in remote areas, mobile blood collection vans are being supplied to different health facilities.

In November 2019, altogether nine mobile blood collection vans were supplied to the blood banks of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur, VIMSAR in Burla, Bolangir District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), SLN Medical College and Hospital in Koraput, Baripada DHH, Balasore DHH, Bargarh DHH and Rourkela RGH, resulting an increase in the total voluntary blood collection from 89,917 units in 2020 to 1,26,747 units in 2022.

In order to further carry forward this trend, another five fully fabricated mobile blood collection vans, equipped with donor couch, blood storage refrigerator, blood collection monitor, blood bag sealer, generator and inverter, have been procured by the state government with an expenditure of Rs 2,70,14,000, said the official.

Similarly, at least 10 insulated vaccine vans were also flagged off on the occasion. While one van will be deployed at the State Vaccine Store, nine other vans will be stationed at nine regional vaccine stores at Balasore, Bolangir, Berhampur, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Koraput, Phulbani, Sambalpur and Sundargarh.

Insulated vaccine vans play a very important role in transportation of temperature sensitive vaccines from high level vaccine stores to field level stores and Immunization points, said the official.

At present, Odisha has a State Vaccine Store, 32 District Vaccine Stores and 1,190 cold chain points for safe storage of vaccines.

The OSMCL has procured 10 vaccine vans with an expenditure of Rs 3,32,67,000 to ensure smooth vaccine supply across the state.

Health & Family Welfare Minister Niranjan Pujari, 5T Secretary VK Pandian, Health Secretary Salini Pandit, NHM Managing Director D Brunda and OSMCL Managing Director Poma Tudu were present on the occasion.