Odisha will have the country’s first blood bank for animals. Vice Chancellor Surendra Nath Pasupalak of Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) made this announcement at a function at the university campus on June 27, 2017.
The university had submitted the proposal of setting up an animal blood bank under the National Agriculture Development Programme (NADP) a few months ago to the state government. NADP has already given the go-ahead for the project and the government will sanction the project by July end this year. Once the project is sanctioned, funds will flow and the construction work of the bank will start immediately.
Speaking at the same event, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that Orissa government has been working extensively for the overall development of farmers and the state is in a much better position compared to its counterparts for strengthening and developing the agricultural sector and ensuring welfare of the farmers. Considering the fact that most of the policies implemented in the state are agriculture and farmer-centric policies, more and more agriculturists and professionals are joining the state government to work in the agriculture sector. According to the CM, this will give a new boost to the agricultural development of the state.
Estimated cost of the blood bank
The estimated cost of the project is Rs 3,25,000,00. The project will come under centrally sponsored scheme Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and the cost of the project will be shared between the Centre and the State government at 60:40.
Location
There are plans of setting up the blood bank for animals in the Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex of OUAT.
Benefit
- Like humans, cattle farmers would provide blood voluntarily in the bank.
- Animal blood will also be collected from various centers.
- Blood transfusion facility for animals would come as a great blessing for the cows and other bovine animals as there are instances of deaths of these animals due to blood loss during deliveries, road accidents and other ailments.
- The storage facility in the blood bank would help the veterinarians to save lives of the domesticated animals.
To sum up
This is indeed a very good news, especially for animal lovers in Orissa. But such initiatives should be adopted by other states as well. There are resent news reports of pet owners missing having an animal blood bank in major cities and towns. With the rise in tick fevers in animals during summers and monsoons, most animals have severe anemia. Animals need blood transfusion during accidents or injuries. Every month several pet dogs die due to lack of blood and lack of awareness among pet owners about blood donation. NGOs for animals believe that there is an urgent need to establish blood banks for animals in different parts of India. Veterinarians have also suggested that so long there are no animal blood banks, donor cards must be introduced in which healthy pets can be registered for blood donation and they can be called up when the need arises. So setting up a blood bank for animals is the urgent need and all other states should follow suit.
