About Department
| HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT | Dr. Sajith Vilambil |
| OP DAYS AND TIME | N.A. |
| DEPARTMENT E MAIL ID | bbmctsr@gmail.com |
| ONLINE BOOKING | N.A. |
Overview & History
In 1984, The District hospital was taken up for functioning of the Medical college. At that time, the blood bank of district hospital was designated as medical college, blood bank. RMO of the district hospital was the medical officer i/c. and the overall functioning of blood bank was carried over by staff nurse Ms.Janaky. This blood bank functioned in Thattil Kochuvareed building, near St.Thomas College. Later, Dr Suseela Jacob Innah was appointed as the Head of the Department. During those days, blood used to be collected in glass bottles that are double sterilised at CSR and ACD as anticoagulant. Pre transfusion tests included blood grouping and cross matching only.
Transfusion transmitted disease screening was not started at that time. The first TTD test to get introduced was syphilis by RPR. Later, Hepatitis screening was introduced in blood bank in 1987. Mr. M.C. Rajan Nair, who was trained from Red Cross Society blood bank, New Delhi, was in-charge of performing that test on a weekly basis.
In 1989, Dr. K.C Usha took the leadership of blood bank. Blood bank was shifted to the new facility near casualty for more convenience. Simultaneously, a new blood bank was started in medical college chest hospital, Mulakunathukavu. Initially there were only limited activities on a half day basis. Later full-fledged activities were resumed. By 2000, the blood bank in the Medical college was renamed as Department of Transfusion Medicine and Immunohaematology.
Later Dr. P Pradeepkumar took charge of the department. The blood bank that was shifted from district hospital to the first floor of new medical college OP block, new medical college hopsital, Mulamkunathkavu in 2005. Thereafter both licensed blood banks were combined into single unit and is functioning at the same address,till date.
Dr Sajith V joined the department in 2014, being the the first transfusion medicine specialist to undertake the charge of Department of Transfusion Medicine, GMC, Thrissur. From 2018 onwards, the department is headed by Dr.Sushama D (Associate professor). Other Transfusion Medicine faculties include three assistant professsors Dr. Indu P K, Dr Archana K A and Dr. Anjaly P S.
Due to the enthusiastic approach of Transfusion Medicine consultants, there was a better understanding of the applications of transfusion medicine in clinical practice. This helped in widening the horizons of transfusion medicine among the undergraduate students as well as clinical practitioners.In 2019, automated ELISA system was introduced to our blood bank for the screening of transfusion transmitted infections. As per the D&C Act amendment in 2020, all the blood banks were renamed to ‘blood centres’.
In 2020, the Department received license from Drugs Controller General fo India, for blood component separation through apheresis technology, and started to do platelet pheresis in early, 2021. This further changed the blood transfusion services especially to radiotherapy as well as pediatric patients. Towards mid 2020, durig the COVID 19 pandemic, we did the first plasmapheresis procedure to collect COVID convalescent plasma,Investigational New Drug, which helped to treat patients with severe disease. Our blood centre was at the forefront of covid convalescent plasma (CCP) therapy and contributed maximum number of CCP by apheresis all over kerala.
Another crucial contribution from this department is transfusion support of thalassemic patients with leucoreduced blood products with the support of Department of pediatrics and NRHM.The department also maintains a meticulous quality control program to assure better transfusion services by registering in EQAS program conducted by CMC vellore, to maintain the quality of the products. We aslo participate in Hemovigilance program of India. The faculties from GMC Thrissur blood bank have actively participated in the formulation of the Kerala State Transfusion Policy which was released on 07/10/20 by Smt.K.K.Shailaja, former Hon’ble Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of kerala.
The blood centre currently functions as the training centre for the state blood transfusion council for Thrissur, Ernakulum and palakkad districts. Our blood centre also acts as the referral centre for Thrissur district for the resolution of blood group discrepancies, crossmatch incompatibilities and other immunohematological work-ups. In 2020, the department organised a one day licence workshop for the blood bank medical officers of Thrissur district.
Courses
No direct courses under this department.
Equipments
- Component separation equipments
- Apheresis equipments
Achievements
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Supported the hospital with plasmapheresis procedure to collect COVID convalescent plasma, investigational New Drug, which helped to treat patients with severe disease.
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Our blood centre was at the forefront of covid convalescent plasma (CCP) therapy and contributed maximum number of CCP by apheresis all over kerala.
Academic Activities
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Transfusion medicine department is involved in training of undergraduates as well as postgraduates from Department of pathology, microbiology, Physiology and Biochemistry.
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An active training programme is provided to DMLT and nursing students on a routine basis.
Non-Teaching Staff
| Scientific Assistant | |
| 1 | Sindhu S |
| 2 | Sheeja V |
| Blood Bank Technician Grade 1 | |
| 1 | Sudha V |
| 2 | Priya K Nair |
| 3 | Smitha M |
| Blood Bank Technician Grade II | |
| 1 | Jishma CM |
| 2 | Lakshmi RS |
| 3 | Manuja NV |
| 4 | Surabhi Surendran |
| 5 | Jijimol MP |
| 6 | Murukan VC |
| 7 | Sindhu KA |
| 8 | Neenunath PV |
| 9 | Sneha PM |
| 10 | Harishma KK |
| 11 | Amrutha MS |
| 12 | Hasna N |
| 13 | Rubina MP |
| 14 | Aneesha PA |
| 15 | Navas Shereef KK |
| 16 | Revathy T.R |
| Lab Assitant | |
| 1 | Salomi K.F |
| Lab Attender | |
| 1 | Sini Issac |
| Blood Bank Counselor KSACS | |
| 1 | Pretthy Varghese |
| Blood Bank Technician KSACS | |
| 1 | Sheeja KM |
| 2 | Jyothikrishna PB |
| 3 | Lincy Joseph |
| BTV Driver-cum-Attender KSACS | |
| 1 | Vibin PV |
| BTV Attender KSACS | |
| 1 | Sunilkumar CD |