BARIPADA: Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital (MCH) is staring at an acute scarcity of blood due to the lockdown. With donors unable to move out due to restrictions, the blood bank at the MCH has run out of its stock of blood. In-charge officer of the district Red Cross Dr Prasanta Das said on a daily basis, at least 30 to 40 units of blood are required for emergency and thalassemia patients. Since the lockdown came into force, there has been a sharp decline in the number of donations. As of Monday, the bank had a stock of only 25 units of blood.
Before the lockdown, the bank used to collect over 800 to 900 blood units every month from donors and various social organisations. But since April 4, not a single unit of blood has been collected, he said.After the Mayurbhanj district headquarters hospital (DHH) was upgraded to MCH, there has been a significant increase in patient footfall at the medical facility.
Apart from local residents, patients from Balasore, Jaleswar, Bhograi, Baliapal, Basta and Rupsa besides the neighbouring States of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar also depend on the MCH. Das said earlier, the blood bank used to procure 1,000-2,000 units of blood from Balasore district in case of any scarcity. But now, the Balasore officials have expressed their helplessness as they too are facing blood shortage.