Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 11
With the seasonal dengue in the offing, the prediction has been that the Blood Bank attached to the District Hospital, Dimapur (DHD), will, yet again, face a rush for blood components, especially, platelets. That is worrisome enough, if the year 2023 was any indication, a year that saw record high dengue incidence in the state.
The other bad news, however, has been the lack of a functioning power generator set at the said blood bank. According to a letter addressed to the Principal Director, Health and Family Welfare (H&FW), Nagaland, the blood bank needs a dedicated power backup.
The letter, accessed by The Morung Express, was written in the first week of March by the Dimapur District Hospital management requesting for a 15 Kva diesel generator set. “It may be mentioned that the centre needs a dedicated power supply to run heavy equipments in order to provide seamless blood banking services to (the) entire state,” it said.
Anticipating another dengue outbreak this year, like in 2023, it appealed that the “request” be treated as a “very special case.” It said, “As our state prepares for possible dengue infection this year, the power pack up remains the top priority… appeal your esteemed authority to kindly consider the request and do the needful as a very special case.”
It turned out that the existing generator set for the blood bank has been out of service since 2021.
The letter, which was written 4 months back, was reportedly yet to reach the table of the Minister in-charge of the Department. When contacted, the H & FW Minister, Paiwang Konyak responded that he will be sending his officers to the DHD blood bank tomorrow (July 12) “and do the needful.”
