LUCKNOW If you are getting blood for your loved ones without donating a unit of blood in exchange (which is mandatory at every blood bank), the unit of blood obtained can actually harm the patient.
“Cases have come to fore where a chemical or a type of staining material was used to give the colour of blood to a mixture of saline water and blood. Such a mix does not improve haemoglobin, for which blood is usually transfused, but later damages organs such as the kidney,” said Dr Tulika Chandra, HoD, transfusion medicine at the King George’s Medical University.
“Choose a reputed blood bank, and if someone offers blood without donation in exchange or makes an exorbitant demand, then raise an alarm,” said the doctor.
Dr Chandra, who had the credit of introducing nucleic acid test (NAT) for screening of blood in Uttar Pradesh, has spearheaded inspections at blood banks across the state. “The business is purely need based. Till people keep on demanding blood without donation/exchange, such business will keep thriving,” she said.
“A mix of Congo Red (a type of colouring chemical), some blood and normal saline water produces blood-like colour, which cannot be differentiated through the naked eye. Such units are sold to people seeking blood without exchange donation,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}“A mix of Congo Red (a type of colouring chemical), some blood and normal saline water produces blood-like colour, which cannot be differentiated through the naked eye. Such units are sold to people seeking blood without exchange donation,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Use of chemical in blood unit is tough to catch unless the “impure blood” is tested in the lab, added Dr Chandra.
On the arrest of the gang involved in illegal trade of blood, Dr Chandra said transporting blood units from Rajasthan to Lucknow was risky. “If blood units are transported over a long distance without maintaining cold chain haemolysis takes place, which turns the blood unit into a toxic material,” she said.
REQUISITION FORMS SEIZED
The illegal blood distribution racket might have spread across several hospitals in the state capital as requisition forms from over a dozen private hospitals were seized by officials during investigation at the two blood banks under investigation.
A requisition form is one on which the requirement of blood for any patient is prescribed by the treating doctor.
The investigating team is also looking into the details of blood bags being used by the racketeers. As blood bags are manufactured by only a few companies, the team is making an attempt to track the manufacturing details of the blood bags seized from the two blood banks.