Blood bank discards 766 litres unused during 10-yr period

In the last 10 years, Ghatkopar-based Rajawadi hospital blood bank disposed of 765.8 litres of blood which crossed expiry dates. This was revealed after a query by a Right To Information (RTI) activist, Chetan Kothari, who enquired on the wastage of blood from 2006 to 2016.

Chetn Kothari said during a period of 11 years, the hospital collected 53,468 blood bags, out of which 2,188 (765.8 litres) were wasted. “The large number of unexpected donors and increase in multiple camps in a single month are to be blamed for the wastage of blood,” added Kothari.

Blood has a shelf-life of 35 days and its important component platelet can be stored for only five days.

The RTI reply from the medical superintendent of the hospital said from 2006 to 2015, a total of 514 blood bags crossed expiry dates, but in 2016, only 78 blood bags were disposed of. “Only around 27.3 litres of blood was wasted in 2016 compared which is very less as compared with the last 10 years,” said medical superintendent Dr. Vidya Thakur.

She said they tried to distribute the excess blood to other banks but the scenario was same. “In August 2015, there was an unexpected collection of 700 bags from a two-day camp due to which there was an increase in the number of wastage. Later all precautionary measures were taken and the wastage was reduced to only 78 bags,” Dr. Thakur said.

The medical superintendent further said the number of blood bags which will be wasted is unpredictable as it depends on demand and collection at blood donation camps. “The requirement of blood is unpredictable and we tried to utilize all the blood bags by giving them to patients and blood banks on credit and debit basis,” Dr. Thakur added.

Dr Avinash Supe, dean of the King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital said the blood is never wasted in the true sense, “Only that it just cannot be used due to some reasons. The term wastage is used wrongly. Most of the time two per cent blood have some infection which cannot be used so it is discarded not wasted,” said Dr. Supe.

The term wastage is used wrongly. Most of the time two per cent blood have some infection which cannot be used so it is discarded not wasted

Dr Avinash Supe, Dean of KEM Hospital