Mumbai’s blood banks run dry, stock to last only for a week

Even though the state government has begun to relax the lockdown, citizens are still hesitating to donate blood. Officials at the State Blood Transfusion Council

Even though the state government has begun to relax the lockdown, citizens are still hesitating to donate blood. Officials at the State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) said the city’s blood banks have stock only for a week.

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The city’s daily requirement of blood is approximately 900 units. During the lockdown, the requirement was lower since public movement was restricted and hospitals received fewer non-Covid cases that required blood transfusion (like accident patients). With restrictions being relaxed, the demand for blood is now increasing. However, the city is not even receiving 50% of the required amount.

Blood banks at major civic-run hospitals like King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital in Parel didn’t have any whole blood units as of October 8. KEM Hospital usually receives the highest number of patients in the city and it had only components of blood. “We got a message in the WhatsApp group of our medical college that the blood bank has dried up completely. So, around 20 resident doctors donated their blood,” said a resident doctor at KEM Hospital, who is also from Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD).

To address the shortage of blood, SBTC issued a circular on September 29, asking organisers of Navratri events to set up blood donation camps. “Organizers of Navratri should create awareness regarding Covid-19, dengue, malaria instead of conducting garba and dandiya. They should organise blood donation camps,” read SBTC’s circular. “Since the outbreak [of Covid-19], blood donation camps are recording only 50% response from the public. Even though people are going out with the gradual relaxation of the lockdown, they refuse to donate blood. We have blood stock only for a week,” said Dr Arun Thorat, director, SBTC.

Due to restrictions imposed by the National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC), private blood banks are not able to set up donation camps, which has impacted their collections and stock. Unlike blood banks attached to hospitals, private blood banks rely completely on voluntary donors.

“Many of these charitable organisations are busy with Covid-19 duties. There is a fear among the public about contracting the virus through blood transfusions. ICMR [Indian Council of Medical Research] needs to raise awareness among people,” said Dr Deepak Baid, president of Association ofMedical Consultants (AMC).

Blood transfusion is the main treatment for patients suffering from thalassemia and haemophilia. Transfusion is frequently required for accident survivors, aside from those with other health complications. Often, patients require only freshly-drawn blood, which means the blood units cannot be more than a week from their collection date.