Cuttack: Several defects and deficiencies have been detected in the blood bank of Sriram Chandra Bhanja Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) here.
The Drugs Controller of Odisha has recently written to the SCBMCH superintendent CBK Mohanty asking him to rectify the defects and deficiencies detected at the hospital blood bank.
Officials of Directorate of Drug Control, Odisha and Central Drugs Laboratory, Kolkata, had carried out a joint inspection at SCBMCH blood bank November 27, 2017. The officials had detected altogether 23 defects and deficiencies in the blood bank, sources said.
The joint team of Directorate of Drug Control, Odisha and Central Drugs Laboratory, Kolkata, had once again inspected the blood bank of SCBMCH January 22 this year.
The team had found that the hospital authorities have failed to plug at least eight deficiencies out of total 23 detected during the first inspection in 2017.
As per a report submitted by the joint team, authorities of the blood bank usually store blood packets in common refrigerators that do not display the temperature levels. Similarly, people engaged in blood collection seldom comply with the standard operation procedure (SOP), laid down by the Drugs and Cosmetic Act.
Moreover, the blood bank authorities have failed to prepare a master record for collection and supply of blood units. Besides, they do not conduct the antibody tests on the blood units.
“The joint team had detected several deficiencies with regard to quality control at SCBMCH blood bank,” said a source.
SCBMCH superintendent CBK Mohanty, however, said he has not received any letter from the Drugs Controller, Odisha. “We would try to rectify the deficiencies in the blood bank after going through the letter,” Mohanty added.
The SCBMCH blood bank had collected altogether 25, 258 blood units in 2018. It had collected 13, 316 blood units from voluntary donors while 11, 942 units were collected from exchange programmes.
“The hospital authorities have failed to manage the blood bank properly. The blood bank has been facing severe shortage of blood units during summer seasons,” said Rogi Adhikar Manch president Amiya Bhusan Biswal.