Four CRC Blood Bank technicians suspended in Odisha's Cuttack

CUTTACK: Days after an elderly patient reportedly became critical after transfusion of blood of wrong group, the Central Red Cross (CRC) Blood Bank authorities suspended four technicians for gross negligence in duty. The technicians who were suspended are Rycol Thomas, Ranjan Kumar Das, Tapas Kumar Mahant and Sandi Swain.

Sources said the staff were suspended owing to their faulty working procedure which led to the incident. “Basing on allegation highlighted in both print and electronic media, the four technicians who were on duty on that particular day have been placed under suspension. A probe is still on and further action will be initiated after its completion”, said Central Red Cross Blood Bank director Chandrika Prasad Das.

The family of the patient were asked to submit the required documents in support of their claim and the doctor treating the concerned patient was also told to submit his report on the issue. However they all are yet to furnish the same, said Das adding stringent action would be initiated against those found responsible for the error.

Bibhuti Bhusan Jena (74) of Bhagatpur was admitted to the private hospital in the city after fall in his haemoglobin level. Going by the advice of doctors, Jena’s blood sample was collected and upon examination, his blood group was found to be A+ve.

Accordingly, the doctors requisitioned for blood following which Jena’s family members arranged a unit of A +ve blood from the Central Red Cross Blood Bank on Wednesday. However, Jena’s condition started to deteriorate within minutes of the blood transfusion on August 30.

Doctors treating him at the hospital immediately stopped administering the blood and initiated steps for its testing at a private laboratory. After investigation of the blood at the private lab, it was found that the unit brought from the blood bank was B+ve instead of A+ve which was required for the patient.

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