A J Hospital inaugurates 'Voluntary Blood Donation Week' to mark World Blood Donor's Day
Mangaluru: A.J Hospital Mangaluru’s blood bank on Wednesday inaugurated a Voluntary Blood Donation Week to mark the World Blood Donor’s Day (June 14), here at the Hospital campus in the city.
Dr. Prashant Marla, Medical Director of A.J Hospital gave an overview of the A.J Blood Bank and World Blood Donor’s Day which was followed by guest lecture by eminent transfusion medicine specialist Dr. Ankith Mathur, Consultant, Transfusion Medicine, Transplant Immunology, Rotary T.T.K Blood Bank, Bangalore.
During the event a fully automated cell separator was also introduced in the hospital. According to a press release from the hospital with the addition of the new equipment, A.J Blood Bank is now ready for Apheresis Technology in which blood is withdrawn from a donor in an anticoagulant solution and separated into components.
“One component is retained and remaining constituents are returned to the individual. The advantage is its simplicity in operation & it is completed with single venipuncture. The added advantage is that a donor can donate within a week as compared to traditional donation, where a minimum of three months are required between one voluntary blood donation to the other”.
Fully Automated Cell Separator was inaugurated by Dr. Prashanth Marla, Medical Director, Dr. Amitha Marla, Director Medical Administration, A J Hospital, Dr. Ashok Hegde, Dean A J Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr.Muktha Pai, HoD, Pathology.
Programme began with prayer by Ms. Vinoda and Ms. Padma. Dr. Aravind P, Blood Bank Officer welcomed the gathering, Mr. P R Gopalkrishna delivered vote of thanks and Dr. Varsha, Pathology PG compered the programme.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
