Platelet transfusion needed only when count falls below 35,000: CMO
Saturday, 12 AUGUST 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Amid increase in the cases of dengue and surge in the demand of platelets, the Health department has started monitoring the blood banks in Dehradun for this vital blood component. The chief medical officer (CMO) of Dehradun Dr Sanjay Jain has issued an advisory to the hospitals that the patients of dengue should be transfused with platelets only when their count comes below 35,000. Interacting with the media-persons at his office on Friday, the CMO said that panic should not be created in the general public on dengue. He said that the IMA blood bank has a capacity of 50 to 60 units of platelets per day while the Mahant Indiresh hospital’s blood bank has a capacity of 60 units and the blood bank of Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) hospital can store 35 units of platelets per day. The CMO claimed that the situation of dengue is in control in Dehradun. He said that a total of 174 patients of the vector borne disease have been reported till Thursday and out of them 150 have recovered. The district has 24 active patients of the disease. Dr Jain added that the administration has reserved 1,025 beds in 30 wards of different hospitals of the district. The CMO claimed that the department has undertaken a massive source reduction drive in the city with the help of Asha workers. The Asha workers have so far visited five lakh households in the district and have destroyed larvae of Aedes at more than 31,000 places. The CMO said that people should destroy the breeding places of mosquitoes inside the homes and vicinity. He added that since the Aedes mosquitoes – the vector of dengue- are capable of laying their eggs in one spoonful of water, the pots, vases, water bottles and coolers should be decanted. The officer added that the Aedes mosquito bites during day time so it is advisable that everyone should wear full sleeve clothes to reduce exposure of their body for the mosquito to bite. He emphasised on awareness to prevent the spread of the disease.
Dengue is a viral infection spread by the mosquito Aedes Aezypti popularly known as Tiger Mosquito. The symptoms of the disease are persistent high fever, rashes, headache and pain in the joints. In the acute cases the platelets number decreases drastically which may prove fatal for the patient.
