Palamu Mobile Blood Collection Van Gets GPS Tracking
The mobile blood collection van in Palamu district, Jharkhand, has now been fitted with a GPS tracking device. The move comes after the additional chief secretary of health, Arun Kumar Singh, called the civil surgeon of Palamu, Dr Anil Kumar, to inquire about the van’s GPS status.
Dr Kumar said that he was not aware of the government’s directive to install a GPS in the van, but he assured Singh that it would be done as soon as possible. The GPS was installed in the van within four hours of Singh’s call.
The mobile blood collection van was provided to Palamu under the National Health Mission government of Jharkhand in 2020. It has so far reached 101 blood donation camps in the district and has collected 1,616 units of blood.
The van has two beds with AC and refrigerator, and the blood collected is transported as per the protocol for temperature maintenance. Blood is not collected when the van is moving, as jerks may pose a problem with the needle in the vein.
Civil Surgeon Dr Anil Kumar has also urged people to donate blood regularly. He said that it is important to have a balance between blood donation and blood requirement. “Take and give must go together in blood,” he said.
The installation of the GPS tracking device in the mobile blood collection van is a welcome move. It will help to ensure the safety and security of the van and the blood collected in it. It will also help to track the van’s movements and ensure that it is being used efficiently.
