Arpan Thalassemia Society

When our director’s relative needed blood in emergency & they had to face difficulty in getting blood, a thought came to their mind that patients might be suffering to get blood in emergency and so they took an initiative by establishing a blood centre to help the needy patients. Our directors started a research on blood banking & then they noticed that HBsAg & VDRL are the only two tests were done in the blood banks & there is lot of risk from transfusion transmitted diseases through blood which can be dangerous for recipient. Government ordered blood banks to provide safe blood transfusion & in case of any transmitted transfusion infection (TTI) positive transfusion was found, provision of harsh punishment to blood bank.

Meeting was arranged by our director’s team & had debate to decide the place for establishment of Blood bank whether at” Dhule or Nashik”. In 1994 our directors shifted to Nasik & approached local government authority to get information, guidance regarding rules & regulations about starting a blood bank. After completion of all formalities the “CITY BLOOD BANK, NASIK” was taken over in 1996 with Prime focus to provide quality services. The bio Elisa reader machine was installed & Transmitted Transfusion Infection (TTI) testing procedure was started. The title of CITY BLOOD BANK, NASIK was changed to “Arpan Blood Bank. Nashik” in a view to have High Standard quality blood bank. Arpan blood Bank started organizing the blood donation camps in Nasik. In 1996 total 4 camps were arranged & by the year 2000 our camp count became 450. In 1999, Health minister Shri Digvijay Khanvilkar sir visited Arpan Blood Center & was impressed with the work towards Thalassemia patients. In 2002 he advised all the blood centres to issue safe and free blood unit to Thalassemia patients. In 2011, the prevalence of HIV disease increased, so our aim was to provide safe blood unit, hence NAT equipment was installed at Arpan Blood Centre ,within 1 year 1000 NAT tests were performed. Our directors & IMA realized that, only supply of blood is not enough but some comprehensive management should be provided to Thalassemia patients & also efforts should be taken to eradicate Thalassemia. We provided free blood bags since beginning for the parents who cannot afford the transfusion charges or blood bag charges. Since then it was realized that it is not possible to do so, unless Government, Doctors, Blood bankers, Patrons & Thalassemia parents work together.