In the direction of further strengthening the health infrastructure, Minister for Health & Medical Education, Bali Bhagat inaugurated the extension of Blood Bank in the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu, here today.The upgraded blood bank was need of the hour in view of the increased patient flow in the GMC and also as per the requirements of the Medical Council of India and NACO. The Blood Bank in GMC, Jammu also serves as Regional Training Center in the State that trains the necessary manpower from all three regions of the State to ensure better upkeep, safety and usages of the blood in their respective institutions.Under the initiative, ultra-modern equipment related to the safety/storage of blood, adequate space for adding new machinery and training has been created in the upgraded blood bank. Now the blood bank will be more reliable to meet the emergencies and increased need of patients not in Jammu only, but to feed other peripheral institutions on need based.Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that Blood Bank is the life line of any health institution, and it is mandatory to equip this with ultra-modern gadgets and facilities to make this important health component more reliable. He congratulated the GMC authorities for putting in place such an important facility and expressed happiness that the added infrastructure will prove quite useful for catering the best medicare and saving precious lives in this important health institution of Jammu division. He stressed the need for best upkeep and usage of this facility by the trained and senior medicos.Principal, GMC, Dr. Sunanda Raina and HoD Blood Transfusion Department, Dr, Vijay Sawhney briefed about the features and benefits of the upgraded Blood Bank.Medical Superintendent, GMC, Dr. Dara Singh and several HoDs and para-medics were present on the occasion.