Important Health Education Messages

AIDS Prevention Education Programme for Student youth.

Government of Maharashtra has been implementing AIDS Prevention Education Programme since 1994 as a joint venture of NACO, UNICEF with part Financial and Technical Support, NGO’s like Sevadham Trust and Collaboration of Education, Social Welfare and Tribal Welfare Department.

There are about 15,510 Schools in Rural and Urban Areas and we could reach 13,137 schools in the first round.

Major Stake Holders-Participants
NACO
MSACS
UNICEF
NGOs
Department of Education.
Social Welfare Department.
Tribal Welfare Department.

Budget

	NACO has provided budget of Rs. 150 Lakhs for the year 12004- 2005.
	UNICEF has supported this activity in Urban Area and provided Rs. 65 lakhs.
	In the current year we propose to cover half of the school of the State.
	The `DIET’ from Education Department will help us to conduct training programme for the teachers and also for follow up for the events occuring and reporting i.e. flow of MIS data.

Schools covered from 1994 to 2004 under APEP

Family Health Awareness Campaign
It is a strategy through which target population (15 to 49 age group) is sensitized towards sexually transmitted diseases. All efforts are made to encourage early detection and prompt treatment of RTI/STD by fully involving the community and to make the people aware about the services available in the Public Health System for the management of RTI/STD.

Objective and Strategy

	Involvement and activation of State/Division/ Districts/Corporation/Municipal Councils/Blocks/PHC and Village Level Co-ordination Committee.
	Complete two rounds of house-to-house contacts and provide House to House contact cards to beneficiaries.
	Organise camps at all sub centres / health agencies
	Involvement of Mass Media Radio, TV etc.
	Training of Medical and Para Medical personal about Syndromic management protocols
	Availability of male and female doctors (Medical Team)
	Condoms should be available in all camp sites and distributed to beneficiaries
	Supervise and monitor the campaign continuously by District Level Officers.

Maharashtra has successfully organised 6 Family Health Awareness Campaigns.

Blood Safety
Blood transfusion services assumed paramount importance after the advent of HIV. The first case of AIDS in India was reported during 1986. In view of on going transmission of HIV in the community, Government of India initiated several steps to ensure blood safety. The central scheme of modernization and strengthening blood banks was introduced in the year 1989. Later, in 1992, the scheme was merged to become an integral part of the National AIDS Control Programme.

Activities undertaken

Millions of lives are saved through blood transfusion. Availability and safety of blood must be guaranteed to our health care delivery system through voluntary non-remunarated low risk blood collection. To create general awareness on Voluntary Blood Donation, 1st October is observed as National Voluntary Blood Donation Day. During the year 2001, 1st October and October month is observed as National Voluntary Blood Donation Day. Grant of Rs.18,000/- to all civil surgeons and Rs.13,000/- was released to 14 municipal corporations. Detailed guidelines regarding activities to be undertaken to observe National Voluntary Blood Donation Day were given to all civil surgeons and Chief Health Officers of Municipal Corporations. Government and non-government sector conducted the activities to create general awareness and to promote Voluntary Blood Donation.

NACO sanctioned 3 Blood Component Separation Units during the year 1999 in the State at :-

	Govt. Medical College, Nagpur
	Janakalyan Blood Bank, Pune.
	Sassoon General Hospital, Pune.

In the year 2001, NACO sanctioned 3 new Blood Component Separation Units at :-

	CPR Hospital Kolhapur
	Jankalyan Blood Bank, Nashik.
	Civil Hospital Amravati.

Regional workshops for Users for Rational Use of Blood and Blood Components were conducted in circles at Head Quarter. The participants of these workshops were Civil Surgeon, Surgeons, Gynaecologists, Physicians/ Paediatricians, Regional Blood Transfusion officer, Blood Transfusion Officer, Surgeon and Gynaecologist from Medical College.

The topics discussed in these workshops were :-

	Status of Blood Banks in Maharashtra.
	Clinical application of Blood and Blood Components.
	Blood transfusion in paediatric practice.
	Blood transfusion reactions / complications.
	Satellite centres for blood storage/ Hospital Transfusion Committee.
	Demonstration of Component Separation Techniques.

The meeting in connection with the Blood Donation Camp was held under the chairmanship of Shri. V.K.Jairath,Secretary to the Governor on 5th March,2002 at Rajbhavan, Mumbai. In this meeting it was decided to organize Voluntary Blood Donation Camp on 19th April, 2002 at Rajbhavan. For promoting rational use of Blood, it was decided to establish Metropolitan Blood Bank at J. J. Hospital, Mumbai and Government Medical College, Nagpur. This is proposed by State Blood Transfusion Council and Government of Maharashtra approved this proposal in principle. The work is in progress.

On 15thOctober,2001 Government of Maharashtra passed a resolution mentioning that the Blood Donor card is valid for life and the card will be honoured in any of the Government, Semi-Government and Corporation blood banks in the State and the card holder will be provided with blood.

Special movement of Voluntary Blood Donation Campaign was organised on 20th November, 2001 for Government employees with the help of their organizations in all districts. An appeal was made to Divisional Commissioners and District Collectors, Chief Executive Officers, Zilla Parishad by Maharashtra State AIDS Control Society, Mumbai.

Training activities All ZBTC, BTO’s and technician trained (2000-2001).

	Hepatitis - C screening procedure.
	ELISA Reader & Washer Maintenance & Repair.
	Bio-Safety measures.
	12 Technicians & BTO’s trained in Component Separation at National Plasma Fractionation Centre.

Establishment Of ZBTC

In order to ensure safe supply of blood, NACO sanctioned 16 ZBTC in the State of which 8 ZBTCS come under the jurisdiction of MSACS. From year 2002 Civil Hospital Latur is also recognized as ZBTC by National AIDS Control Organization.

Hedgewar Blood Bank, Nagpur is recognized as District Level Blood Bank from year 2002.

Introduction of Computerised Management Information System (CMIS)
The information support is very vital for proper planning, implementation and monitoring of any programme. CMIS is introduced to monitor different activities in all the licensed blood banks in the State. The Data is processed, an overview is prepared and regular feedback is given to Regional Officers every month for taking corrective actions.

Testing of Blood Units

In order to ensure safe supply of blood which is free from transfusion transmitted diseases, every blood unit that is collected is being tested for HIV, Syphilis, Maleria, Hepatitis-B. The mandatory testing of Hepatitis-C started since 1st June, 2001 in the State.

The performance of blood collection alongwith HIV Sero-reactivity

Observance of National Voluntary Blood Donation Day

Action plan for promotion of Voluntary Blood Donation prepared and circulated to all Civil Surgeons, Chief Health Officers of Corporation.
The action plan comprises mass as well as inter personal to person communication to improve knowledge, attitude and behavioural practices regarding blood donation .Under this, various activities were proposed such as

	Mass media campaign
	Organizing Marathon race, Cycle Rallies.
	Essay Competition, picture, poster competition, rangoli competition.
	Participation of women groups.
	Involvement of Home guards SRP police.
	Blood Donation camps on special occasion.
	Involvement of Youth (NSS,NCC,Colleges, Bharat Scout,)
	Distribution of handouts.
	Video film on Blood Trasnsfusion.
	Documentation of camps.

Massive Drive for Voluntary Blood Donation was launched every year during October.

Felicitation of Centurian blood donors on the eve of World Health Day. 37 blood donors were felicitated by Govt. with gold medals and certificates.

For celebration of National Voluntary Blood Donation Day , grant is released to all civil Surgeons and for State level function, grant is released to State Blood Transfusion Council, Mumbai.

Activities during the year 2003-04

To update the knowledge of Blood Transfusion with Officers and technicians in the blood banks, a Continuing Education Programme was organized by Indian Pharmaceutical Association in Mumbai. This CEP was attended by all Regional Blood Transfusion Officers along with their technicians.

A conference was organized by Food and Drugs Administration at Aurangabad for Medical Officers working in blood banks and technicians. This was also attended by all Blood Transfusion Officers in the State of Maharashtra.

An International Symposium on "Total Quality Management in Blood Transfusion Services” was organized by Prathama Blood Centre at Ahmedabad on 19th and 20th December, 2003. This was also attended by the Regional Blood Transfusion Officers and State level officers. This symposium helped them update their knowledge in Quality Management in Blood Transfusion Services.

Problem Districts

There is no problem in implementation of Blood Safety Programme in any district in the State of Maharashtra.

Situational Analysis

In the State of Maharashtra, total 66 blood banks are upgraded as Major Blood Banks, District Level Blood Banks, Blood Component Separation Units, Zonal Blood Testing Centres. These upgraded blood banks are playing an important role in supplying safe blood to the patients.

There are total 269 blood banks registered with State Blood Transfusion Council. Out of which, 250 blood banks are functional in the State of Maharashtra, which are as follows

Year wise Registration of blood banks

Out of these 250 blood banks, 66 blood banks are upgraded as follows

6 new proposed Blood Component Separation Units are as follows

1. Civil Hospital, Thane
2. Civil Hospital, Nashik
3. Civil Hospital, Satara
4. Civil Hospital, Latur
5. Civil Hospital, Aurangabad
6. Civil Hospital, Akola

Performance in Blood Collection (Maharashtra State) Year Jan – Dec 1999

Good performing circles
(as compared to state collection)

Poor performing circles (Comparison with State Blood Collection)

Performance in Blood Collection ( Maharashtra State) - Jan – Dec 2000

Good performing Circles (Comparison with State Blood Collection)

A map showing sero-positive district wise is as following
Poor performing circles ( Comparison with State Blood Collection)