Plasma Fractionation Centre to come up in Chennai

New Delhi, July 2 : The union cabinet Thursday decided to set up a Rs.2.5 billion, state-of-the-art Plasma Fractionation Centre at Chennai to manufacture plasma derivatives used in medical treatments.

'The union cabinet today gave its concurrence for setting up one Plasma Fractionation Centre at Chennai with a capacity to process more than 150,000 litres of plasma at a total cost of Rs.2.5 billion,' cabinet spokesperson Ambika Soni told reporters after the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

'The centre will be a state-of-the-art facility with the latest technology and equipment as well as meeting the international standards. The centre will manufacture all important plasma derivatives which are presently being imported,' said Soni.

'This will reduce our dependence on imports of these plasma products. The imported plasma derivatives are expensive and not accessible to all the needy patients the centre will be operated on a self-sustained, non-profit model in the public sector,' Soni added.

'Of Rs.2.5 billion, Rs.250 million will be for building construction, Rs.650 million for procurement of equipments, Rs.200 million for manpower and Rs.1.4 billion for consumables and other recurring expenses,' she said.