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Appeal for blood donation after acute shortage hits SNNMCH in Dhanbad
Dhanbad's Shaheed Nirmal Mahto Medical College faces a severe blood shortage, impacting thalassemia patients. Authorities urge donations to address the crisis.
Shaheed Nirmal Mahto Medical College and Hospital (SNNMCH), the lone government medical college hospital in Dhanbad that caters to the healthcare needs of several districts including Giridih, Jamtara, Godda, Sahebganj, Pakur, Chatra and Koderma, is currently facing an acute shortage of blood, causing serious concern among patients and hospital authorities.
The blood bank of the 600-bed hospital, which has a storage capacity of around 900 units, presently has only about 35 to 42 units of blood available. The shortage has affected treatment of several patients, particularly those suffering from thalassemia who require regular blood transfusions.
Superintendent of SNNMCH Blood Bank, Dr BK Pandey, said the situation had worsened due to the sluggish pace of blood donation in recent days.
“We have only about 35 units of blood in our blood bank at present as the situation has further dipped,” said Pandey. “The average daily consumption of blood in our hospital is around 40 units, but we have received only 14 units through blood donation from Thursday afternoon to Friday. This gap between demand and supply has created a difficult situation.”
He added that the available blood stock was largely utilised for emergency cases, surgeries and accident victims, leaving little for other patients.
Pandey appealed to voluntary donors, social organisations and youth groups to step forward and donate blood. “I appeal to voluntary blood donors to come forward in large numbers and donate blood to save lives. Blood donation is one of the noblest services to society,” he said.
Informing about efforts to address the crisis, Pandey said a blood donation camp would be organised at the hospital on Saturday by an organisation associated with bone marrow transplant awareness.
He also made a special appeal to the newly elected councillors of Dhanbad municipal corporation. “I would request the newly elected 55 councillors to celebrate their victory by donating blood at the hospital. There can be no better service to society than saving lives through blood donation,” he said.
The shortage has particularly affected around 250 thalassemia patients registered at the hospital.
Senior manager of SNNMCH, Dr Suman, acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and said the hospital administration was making efforts to address the crisis.
“The situation is indeed difficult at present, and particularly the thalassemia patients numbering around 250 are facing difficulties because they require blood at regular intervals,” said Dr Suman.
She added that the hospital had been encouraging voluntary blood donation through collaboration with social organisations.
“Recently, a blood donation drive was organised at SNMCH by a social organisation, Seva and Samarpan. We would like more organisations and institutions to come forward and organise similar camps so that the shortage can be addressed,” she said.
Meanwhile, anxious relatives of patients said they were being forced to wait for hours or even days to get blood for their loved ones, highlighting the urgent need for increased voluntary blood donation in the region.
