A Right to Information (RTI) query by a doctor has revealed that KEM Hospital has been flouting norms while collecting blood during blood donation camps.
According to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, to collect blood from 50 to 70 donors in about three hours or from 100 to 120 donors in about five hours, it is compulsory to have one medical officer, two nurses or phlebotomists to manage six to eight donor tables, two medico-social workers, three blood bank technicians and two attendants. However documents accessed from the hospital via RTI have revealed in a majority of the 19 blood donation camps organised by KEM, nurses and technicians were absent, which is in violation of prescribed rules. Despite this, the camps collected blood units more than 500.
When The Asian Age spoke to Harshadeep Kamble, commissioner, Food and Drugs Authority, the body responsible for keeping a check on blood banks, he said, “We have taken several steps to stop such incidents. I will enquire into the matter. But until I check all the documents, I will not be able to comment.”
