Hospitals asked to tackle shortage of blood in summers

Mumbai: The State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) has issued letters to state- and civic-run hospitals to tackle the shortage of blood during summer vacations.

The SBTC has instructed all blood banks and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to conduct blood donation camps before the summer holidays.

Two civic-run hospitals, KEM Hospital and Kandivali’s Shatabdi Hospital, have been facing a shortage of blood, especially blood belonging to groups such as A positive and AB positive. 

Taking serious note of blood shortage at the district level, SBTC officials have asked for a meeting with NGOs and health officials who can donate blood and conduct blood donation camps at the district level.

Dr Arun Thorat, director, SBTC, told The Asian Age, “There was shortage of blood in the blood banks of civic-run hospitals due to which a letter was sent to all the medical superintendents of the hospitals to organise camps to overcome the shortage of blood.”

“Apart from all this, a blood donors’ committee will be formed at the district level, which will include blood donors who are willing to donate blood and can organise camps,” said Dr Thorat.

Around this time of the year, The State Blood Transfusion Council  is inundated with complaints about the shortage of blood as donors go out of Mumbai during summer vacations. 

 An official said, “There is always a significant, ongoing need for blood. Because there is no substitute for human blood, the generousity of blood donors help ensure that we maintain an adequate supply for our patients.”