The new Blood Bank
The new Senahasa Blood Bank opened at Karapitiya Hospital on 14
July 2008 and it will serve hospitals in the Southern Province as
a part of Sri Lanka’s National Transfusion Service. It will
provide essential blood products for all types or surgery, treatment
of critical illnesses including cancer, and accident and emergency
cases.
The old facilities were not only cramped and outdated, but since
the Tsunami the blood bank at Karapitiya had taken on the work of
smaller blood banks in coastal hospitals. It was literally bursting
at the seams. The unit had skilled and experienced doctors, nurses
and medical technicians but needed a new building and equipment.
With the agreement of the Health Ministry, Senahasa started building
the new facility in January 2008. The building was completed within
six months. Equipment such as a platelet agitator, a 12 bucket centrifuge,
bench centrifuges and binocular microscopes were imported for the
unit. Specialist fridges and freezers including a plasma freezer
and extractor were also installed. A special lab has been built
to screen for malaria.
Blood products were issued from freezers in a corridor in the old
blood bank. Now there is a dedicated room with external access for
collection. Donors have a reception area, a counselling room for
privacy and a spacious and clean ward for blood collection and recovery.
There are rest facilities for the staff running this 24 hour facility
and there are separate labs for screening and processing blood products.
Products are now stored in controlled areas.
The sister-in-charge is so thrilled to work in the new blood bank.
She explains, “It is like heaven to work her now. It means
so much to us. We can do so much more.”
One of the biggest benefits has been the increase in capacity.
Blood collections went up by 30% in the first month and blood issues
for medical treatment went up by 40%. The improved facilities have
encouraged new and returning donors to come more frequently.
When there was an emergency in the past, donors rushed to give
blood but the nurses had to turn them away. Patient safety was severely
compromised by the hospital’s lack of capacity. “Over
40 people were seriously injured in a crash, involving a bus and
a lorry. We had the skills and experience to deal with such emergencies
but we didn’t have the facilities to cope with the demand
for blood products for so many people at once. It was so frustrating
to know that prompt treatment would have saved lives. Now we will
be able to deal with critical incidences like this.” says
Dr Welivitiya.
The new blood bank now deals with more donors and processes the
blood collected quickly and efficiently. The blood products can
be stored in temperature controlled areas for longer periods. Simply
put, the new blood bank will save lives.
Initial impression of old Blood bank facilities
Visiting the old Karapitiya blood bank was a truly shocking experience.
Bloodstocks lie in freezers in the corridors; cardboard boxes full
of blood bags are stacked outside the unit; blood is issued in the
corridor. Under such dire conditions, the experienced and committed
team do an astonishing job maintaining the quality of the blood
products they supply.
The Karapitiya Blood Bank serves three other hospitals, since some
of the facilities in those areas were damaged by the Tsunami. All
blood collected at these locations is sent to Karapitiya for processing,
as is the blood collected by mobile units. The unit had 12,500 donors
last year and supplies more than 900 units each month, but the facilities
could barely cope with the dramatic increase in volumes.
A new, better-equipped building was essential to protect the quality
of blood supplies in the Galle District. Facilities are needed for
proper storage, production, donors, administration, and the issue
of blood products, as well as for the staff who run this 24-hour
service.
Thank you to everyone who supported our appeal to build
the new Blood Bank at Karapitiya Hospital which now provides a safe
blood supply for the people of the Galle District.
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