GUWAHATI, Sept 13 - Adding a new state-of-the-art facility to its blood bank, Marwari Hospitals has installed the Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) Lab. This facility reduces the risk of transfusion transmitted infections (TTIs) such as HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C viruses in the recipients, providing an additional layer of blood safety during blood transfusion. Governor Banwarilal Purohit formally launched the facility at the Lions Eye Hospital, Chatribari yesterday evening.
With this, Marwari Hospitals has become the third institute in the city to have this advanced treatment for blood transfusion. Earlier in July, the hospital started a blood component separation unit.
The Governor, in his speech, appreciated the efforts of Marwari Hospitals in installing the NAT Lab facility which would go a long way in preventing unsafe blood transfusion and ensure low-risk blood to patients.
The Governor also urged the hospital management to boost the fledgling blood donation movement in the State.
Detection of infection in blood is slow at present because of a long window period but now, with installation of the NAT Lab, it will be able to reduce the window period of the HIV tests from the existing 20 days to 3-5 days, Hepatitis B from existing 2 months to 2 weeks and Hepatitis C from existing 3 months to 4-5 days.
