BCS unit awaits installation, authorities pass the buck

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Feb. 3: The blood component separation unit (BCSU) supplied by the National Aids Control Organisation (Naco) to the Malda district hospital is yet to be installed.

The reason has been sited as that the district hospital superintendent has not informed the manufacturer to send experts to install the unit.

It may be noted that more than a year ago, Naco had sent the unit worth Rs 1.35 crore to Malda district hospital but since the unit had been lying idle for a long stretch of time it was finally withdrawn.

The BCSU is used to separate the different components of blood such as red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets and is also helpful in blood transfusion.

Following an agitation launched by the activists of Malda District Voluntary Blood Donors’ Forum (MDVBDF) the district officials had taken an initiative to install the unit here.

The district authorities had allotted Rs 3,000 from the Rugee Kalyan Samit funds to ferry the unit from store room to the newly constructed building.

On Friday, the superintendent of Malda district hospital, Dr A Roy sent the unit to the newly constructed room from the store room.

The chief medical officer of health, Mr Srikanta Roy, said: “We shall write a letter to the company of the machine soon for its installation here. We are waiting for completion of some required works in the newly constructed building.”

The CMOH also said that without the experts and technicians the machine cannot be run.

“We have written to Swasthya Bhawan to provide expert doctors and technicians to run the unit. But we have not received any confirmation yet. The state health authorities would be reminded once again,” said Dr Srikanta Roy.

The activists of MDVBDF said that the duty of the Malda district hospital authorities is to inform the manufacturer for installation of the unit.

“After installation the state health authorities with the help of officials of the state aids control society would appoint medical officers and technicians here,” they said.