Blood banks’ stock depleting as donations see marked decline
: Blood banks in the state capital are left with limited stock as blood donation camps and voluntary donations have witnessed a marked decrease amid the second wave of the pandemic.
For instance, the state blood bank at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) has only about 700 units left with it against a normal stock of between 2,500 to 3,000. Due to the lack of stock, KGMU is issuing nearly 60 units of blood per day these days. Normally, it gives between 200 and 250 units of blood every day.
“Voluntary blood donation and camps have gone down considerably. In fact, there have been no camps after the first week of April while there are only a few voluntary donations per week these days,” said prof Tulika Chandra, HoD, transfusion medicine, KGMU.
At Syama Prasad Mukherjee (Civil) hospital, there were only 22 units of blood as opening stock on Thursday morning while at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, the stock was below 300 units against the normal stock of at least over 700 units.
Experts say blood donation is safe and can be done by all healthy people. “By donating blood, you get yourself checked for various disorders. From hepatitis to HIV, all infections are checked in the donated blood,” said Dr Sandeep Kapoor, director, Healthcity hospital.
“At the Lucknow Nursing Home Association blood bank, the present stock is 412 against the normal stock of 650 units,” said Dr Anoop Agrawal of the nursing home cell of IMA.
“Voluntary blood donation is key to maintaining good stock in the blood bank as replacement donors (who come and donate to get one unit blood or blood component in exchange) do not add to stock and in some exchange donors the blood has to be discarded due to infection. Majority voluntary donors are healthy,” said prof Chandra.
Measures in place for voluntary donation
Keeping in view the fall in voluntary blood donation, the KGMU blood bank has now made arrangements to ensure that voluntary blood donors can donate blood in the safest environment and with social distancing. The blood bank has made entry for such donors separate.