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Shocking: Blood donation camps held in red-light areas in Kolkata in presence of TMC leaders

According to the guidelines laid down by NACO, a blood donation camp cannot be conducted within 2 kms of any red light area. Blood donated by people who have multiple sex partners poses a high risk of HIV/AIDS.

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Two blood donation camps conducted near red-light areas in Kolkata ​within a gap of five days and in the presence of leaders of the ruling party, have alarmed health experts.

On Thursday afternoon, a blood donation camp was conducted in the red light area of Bowbazar by the Yatrik Club in the presence of Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay​. As many as 150 people reportedly donated blood and were gifted a water filter each. Blood units collected were sent to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital's blood bank. 

However, the MP tried to shift the blame on the doctors conducting the donation. He told Ananda Bazar Patrika that since he was a minister of state for health in the past, he was aware of the rules. 

A week earlier on July 11, another blood donation camp was conducted near the Sonagachi red light area by the Sasthya Samiti. The blood units were sent to the Manicktala Blood Bank, where the blood screening machine has been malfunctioning for several weeks.This led to the collected blood being distributed without being screened. Shockingly, this blood donation camp was conducted in the presence of minister Sadhan Pandey and Dr Shashi Panja, Women and Child Welfare Minister of Bengal. 

Meanwhile, officials claimed that the ruling TMC government forced them to conduct the blood donation camp. The department head at Calcutta Medical college, Krishnendu Mukhopadhyay said, “The blood will be screened before it is put on the shelves. If found to be infected, those units of blood will be disposed off.” However health experts say that if a HIV-infected blood sample is in the 'window period' of two weeks to six months, lab tests would not detect the infection.

According to the guidelines laid down by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), a blood donation camp cannot be conducted within 2 kms of any red light area. Blood donated by people who have multiple sex partners poses a high risk of HIV/AIDS.

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