Shortage of blood in MKCG Medical College of Odisha a worry for patients

BERHAMPUR: The reported shortage of blood in the blood bank of MKCG Medical College and Hospital has been causing a lot of problem for those needing it on emergency. Particularly those needing blood from negative blood groups are the worst sufferers.

Sources said though the hospital has a capacity for over 1,561 patients, it has only around 100 blood units. Blood supply to patients admitted in the hospital is often done free of cost since the blood is collected from their relatives. Meanwhile blood donation organisations that supply blood to the hospital, have not been able to do so because of shortage of donors.

According to information, apart from the patients admitted in the hospital, over 500 patients of thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia and haemophilia depend on the hospital’s blood bank every month. In such a situation, scarcity of blood poses serious problem for these patients.To add to the woes, the hospital is now reportedly facing shortage of platelets. Sources said there is no stock of negative group blood and platelets.

While locals alleged that the shortage of blood was due to supply to private hospitals, assistant superintendent of the MCH Dr Kiran Patnaik refuted such claims. He said the blood bank has sufficient stock of +ve group blood but -ve blood is almost nil. They can be supplied only by professional donors, he added.

“We need a total of 90 to 100 units of blood to meet the daily requirements. Blood scarcity arises when the units drop below 50,” Patnaik said adding, over 250 units of blood were collected from blood donation camps during the last three days.

“A blood unit can be stored for only two months. So excess collection is not recommended,” he said adding instead of frequent and haphazard collection, the blood donation camps should be conducted in a planned way in consultation with the blood banks.