Andhra Pradesh Drug Control Administration (AP DCA) has organized a blood donation camp at Hyderabad as part of National Pharmacy Week 2003 celebrations. M Venkata Reddy, director, DCA said that his department has conducted nine blood donation camps in the state so far and has collected 1000 units. According to Reddy, AP is the first state in India, where a state DCA has initiated blood donation camps and has implemented in large numbers.

P Ananthasayanam Reddy, ADG, Drugs & Copyright, DCA, said that it’s time for us to realize the need for setting up of ‘Blood Storage Centres’, especially in the government hospitals. AP DCA will seriously take initiatives in this regard and it expects assistance from Chiranjivi Eye & Blood Bank Research & Development Centre. In hospitals with 30-bed capacity, blood banks should necessarily be set up. And it will also become mandatory, when World Bank’s assistance is sought for any development in hospitals.

Around 10,000 people die in road accidents in India, every year. And blood banks and storage centers will have a vital role in reducing incidences of death due to non-availability of blood, he added.