NO MORE BLOOD SHORTAGE! More than 500 units collected by KEM blood bank in one day

As there was a shortage of blood in the King Edward Memorial (KEM) hospital which has been overcome after the hospital organised several blood donation camp at different places. A senior doctor said right now there are no shortage on the blood bank of KEM as they have collected more than 500 units of blood in a single day through blood donation drive organised at Mazgaon Dock.

Earlier there was a huge shortage of blood in all the city-based blood bank due to which patients relatives had to face many problems. “We had received a notice from the State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) stating us to organise blood donation camp in the city to overcome the shortage,” said a doctor.

Every year blood donation camp is organised at the Mazgaon Docks by the KEM hospital. “The officers from Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the workers come forward to donate their blood every year. In this blood donation camp 668 units of blood was collected,” said a doctor.

A senior official said acting on the non-availability of blood which was brought to our notice by the media, the SBTC had organised the transfer of blood from other blood banks in Mumbai. “To overcome this dearth, the SBTC has ordered all the city-based blood banks to organise a blood donation drive in the city,” said Dr Arun Thorat, Assistant Director of SBTC.

Unforunately, the good cause saw the blood bank run foul of the authorities and breached NACO guidelines, which states that if a blood bank is organising blood donation camp they can collect only 500 units of blood. If they collect more than that action will be taken against that blood bank.

“We will issue a circular to the KEM blood bank as they have violated the guidelines of NACO by collecting more than 500 units of blood in a single day,” added Dr Thorat.

The blood donation camp violated NACO guidelines, which states that if a blood bank is organising blood donation camp they can collect only 500 units of blood. If they collect more than that action will be taken against that blood bank. Dr Arun Thorat, Assistant Director of SBTC, said that they will issue a circular to KEM blood bank