NAT Technology Introduced At Capital Hospital

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government on Thursday announced the launch of the first-ever ‘Roche NAT Solution’ under a public-private partnership with Roche Diagnostics at Capital Hospital here, said a press release from Health Department.

With this, NAT technology is introduced in Odisha, said the release.

Nucleic acid testing (NAT) solution enables screening of donated blood, to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) in people receiving blood.

The government in association with Roche Diagnostics India has already launched NA) at VSS Medical College and Hospital, Burla and shall be starting similar facilities at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack on Friday and MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur shortly, the release added.

“We are happy to bring the Roche NAT solution to Odisha. This is a firm step towards our government’s commitment to providing quality healthcare in the state. With this technology, we can be assured that people of Odisha will get access to safe blood in state Blood Banks,” said Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak in the release.

In the release, Dr Sandeep Sewlikar, Head of Medical and Scientific Affairs of Roche Diagnostics India said, “World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that in India, there is a shortage of 3 million units of blood against the annual need of 12 million units. In such a shortage situation, the quality of blood being transfused is not the prime focus. However, if blood screening is not done with NAT technology or if the transfusion procedure is unsafe, life-saving blood can lead to life-threatening ‘transfusion transmitted infections’ (TTI), besides causing other severe adverse reactions.”