BHUBANESWAR: The blood bank at Capital Hospital is running dry as the Covid lockdown has hindered donation drives conducted by healthcare institution regularly.
There is a severe shortage of blood for transfusion in the hospital so much so that authorities are forced to stop supply of blood to private healthcare institutions that used to depend on it from July first week so that internal requirement can be met.
Blood Bank Officer Debasish Mishra said the stock maintained by the blood bank has come down from around 450 to 500 in March to just around 200 in July.
Though 15 per cent of the patients requiring transfusion are from negative groups, he said the bank has stock of only one unit from each of the negative groups for emergency cases.
The hospital ran out of stock of negative blood units on Saturday, sources said. The hospital that used to collect 100 to 200 units of blood through regular camps is now getting less than 30 units, said Hospital Superintendent Dr Biranchi Narayan Barik.
The number of blood units provided by volunteer groups through such camps has also come down drastically.
With donors keeping away from blood banks due to fear of Covid-19 spread, patients with blood disorders are enduring a nightmarish time.
A woman from Khurda who was admitted to the hospital for her delivery on Thursday required two units of blood for which she had to wait six hours, said an official.
Apart from emergency cases, patients of thalassemia, severe anemia and other blood disordes which require blood transfusion frequently are also suffering due to shortage of blood units, official said and added that delay in transfusion in such patients may lead to drop in their hemoglobin levels that can compromise their immune system.
“If camps are organised by volunteer groups and youths on regular interval with social distancing measures, the requirement can be met,” said the Hospital Superintendent said.
Mishra also urged people to visit the blood bank at the hospital which has a separate set up to donate blood. He urged citizens to celebrate special occasions by donating blood.