ABSTRACT
Prathama Blood Center was established in Ahmedabad in the 1990s, as a not-for-profit organization to cater to the needs of patients and doctors for safe and quality blood at an affordable cost. In a culture of unawareness and widespread superstitions related to blood donation, Prathama established a modern blood bank with high technology equipment for collecting, analyzing, separating components, and storing the blood collected from voluntary donors. The organization also spreads awareness among people, has conducted workshops and seminars along with initiating educational programmes on transfusion medicine. It also supplies blood components free and at a concessional price to poor patients, and patients belonging to special groups, needing regular blood transfusion. Prathama organizes donor groups to take care of the needs of special groups of patients. Prathama is now willing to establish small blood banks in other cities.
