Govt. to tie up with Indian firm to manufacture plasma proteins from blood

The Government has received cabinet approval to seek the services of an Indian firm to manufacture plasma proteins from donated blood.

The National Blood Transfusion Centre, the blood collection organisation in Sri Lanka collects about 100,000 litres of plasma every year through its collection centres across the country.

Of this, 60,000 units are consumed for clinical use after components of blood are separated. The surplus quantity of plasma estimated at 40,000 litres is currently discarded. While, the surplus quantity can be potentially given to plasma fractionators for the manufacture of plasma proteins, Sri Lanka is meeting the requirements of plasma proteins through imports. The Cabinet considering the above facts has approved a proposal made by the Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine Dr. Rajitha Senaratne to purchase plasma from the National Blood Transfusion Centre at a mutually agreed price as a turnkey arrangement. Accordingly, the Government has received approval to allow the sale of plasma at a mutually agreed price to the Reliance Life Sciences, a firm belonging to India’s Reliance Industries, and get plasma proteins from the Indian firm, The Hindu reported.