Gimme red
State Blood Transfusion Council is compiling a list of platelet donors to
gear up for the disease-spreading monsoons
SANTOSH ANDHALE
You’ve heard of the Mile High Club, now join the platelet club. The
Health Ministry is creating a list of platelet donors of the city to prepare
for the disease-ridden monsoon months.
Platelets are cell fragments present in our blood. During diseases such
as malaria, dengue, leptospirosis and cancer, the platelet count in the
blood goes down. This can be dangerous and new platelets need to be
introduced into the patient’s blood.
Unlike blood, platelets cannot be stored for more than five days. To
combat shortage of donors and cut down on the time wasted acquiring
platelets, a list of people who regularly donate blood (and hence platelets)
is being corelated by the state Blood Transfusion Council (BTC).
“Last year, the city faced a shortage of donors and 2500 units of
platelets had to be brought from cities such as Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Nashik
and Pune,” says Dr Sanjaykumar Jadhav, director of BTC.
“We don’t want a repeat of the situation this year, and hence are
collecting a list of people whom we can contact when the need for platelets
arises. This way, we won’t have to depend on donors placed in other cities
and can save on time,” Jadhav adds. A volunteer can donate his platelets 16
to 20 times in a year.
The enrolment forms for the club can be accessed from the blood bank of
any government hospital. A donor will get a membership card, much like the
green card (see box) that blood donors hold, for identification.
NORMAL PLATELET COUNT
In an adult, a normal count is about 1,50,000 to 4,50,000 platelets per
microlitre
If platelet levels fall below 20,000 per microlitre, spontaneous
bleeding may occur and is considered life-threatening. Low number of
platelets may occur in some patients with long-term bleeding problems
Living in high altitudes may cause increased platelet levels, as can
strenuous exercise
Decreased levels may be seen in women before menstruation
Drugs that may cause increased platelet levels include estrogen and oral
contraceptives
APHERESIS is a technique in which blood products are separated from a donor
and the desired elements collected and the rest returned to the donor
APHERESIS PLATELET DONATION enables eligible blood donors to donate
platelets. A venipuncture is performed on one arm in which blood is drawn.
The blood then passes through a centrifuge to separate the platelets
from whole blood. The platelets are harvested in sterile collection bags,
and the red cells and plasma are returned to the donor. Throughout the
donation, the blood stays inside a sterile kit.The platelets are then
processed for distribution
A man donates platelets at the Tata Memorial Hospital