1st Revolution

Starts IMA Blood Bank in Cochin, 

on 31st Jan. 1984

3nd Revolution in Kerala

From safe blood to safer blood
Introduces NAT (Nucleic Acid Test)

in IMA Blood Bank, Cochin

IMA Blood Bank Cochin, which revolutionised the transfusion services in Kerala 27 years ago, is bringing in another landmark service in the Blood Banking - Nucleic Acid Testing.

IMA Blood Bank Cochin becomes the first Blood Bank in Kerala to introduce the NAT technology. 

NAT is meant to exclude the window period in HIV-1, HIV-2, HCV, HBC and WNV (West Nile Virus). What is the window period? It is the time lag between actual infection and time taken to detect the infection. There is always a chance to get the infection if donation / transfusion is done during the window period. With the advent of 4th generation kit for Elisa Testing (though expensive) being used in all modern blood banks acrss the country (like IMA Blood Bank) window period was brought down to 3-4 weeks. NAT further reduces the window period to 11 days. With the introduction of NAT Technology in Feb. 2012, IMA Blood Babnk will have the unique distinction of issuing only NAT tested blood. This in simpler terms is from safe blood to safer blood.

Watch for the 3rd red revolution