Berhampur: With the mercury touching new highs every passing day, acute shortage at the blood bank in Berhampur Hospital has increased tension among the staff. As the demand is more than the collection, there is no blood in the bank even for emergency cases. The blood bank authority has initiated steps to meet the shortage. They are contacting several organisations that conduct blood donation camps regularly.
Blood banks go dry in the summer compared to other seasons because people have an illogical fear that donating blood during hot days will cause weakness.
Some patients require a particular group of blood every month. But in the summer season, it is difficult to collect even 1,500 units of blood. While 3,000 units of blood were collected from 25 blood donation camps in February, only 723 units of blood were collected from 14 camps in March of this year. It is feared that the blood collection would reduce further in April as no major blood donation camps have been planned yet.
Patients suffering from sickle cell anaemia and thalassemia require about 600 units of blood every month. If there is no adequate stock in the blood bank, they suffer most. For the last two days, the blood bank has been putting up ‘zero stock’ notice on the display board.
Meanwhile, an officer of the blood bank has alleged that though the units of blood are very less, some influential persons are taking them without exchange.
According to Dr Rasmita Panigrahi, the situation has reached such an alarming level that the blood banks are running far below the mandatory shortage level. She said the situation is compelling them to refuse patients even in emergency situations. They have to collect blood from outside even for minor operations, she said.
If the people exchange blood for the one the patients receive, then the problem will be solved, Rasmita pointed out, adding that they are contacting the organisations that hold blood donation camps. They are taking several steps to mitigate the problem, she said. More than 200 organisations are working on this and the acute shortage of blood will be reduced soon, hospital authorities said.
PNN