The state-backed Burdwan Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital has housed a blood transfusion centre for thalassemia patients, which, according to officials, will start operation from 1 August.

At the Burdwan Medical College and Hospital, one blood transfusion unit for such patients is already operational.

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“Initially, 40 beds for thalassemia patients requiring blood have been arranged, which may gradually be elevated,” said Dr Susmita Chatterjee, principal of the college. A thalassemia patient requires blood twice in a month. A private-owned haematology research centre and an NGO have extended cooperation for the utility. Tania Das, director of the research centre, said, “We receive maximum thalassemia patients from East Burdwan and East Midnapore. So, we chose to extend our facilities to Burdwan town first.” About 9 per cent of Bengal’s population, as Das claimed, “Are thalassemia patients, currently. But, we insist that the state should undertake extensive thalassemia detection tests for the students between Classes IX & XI.”

In East Burdwan, a thalassemia control unit is being run under the National Health Mission. The district has 1,460 registered thalassemia patients, besides 105 recorded patients struggling with haemophilia. Dr Sunetra Majumdar, deputy CMOH-IV for East Burdwan said, “Our thalassemia unit arranges premarital screening as precaution in the colleges and at the university as part of our outreach programme.”