Jaslok blood bank shut down till April 10 following FDA inquiry

From Tuesday, Jaslok Hospital’s blood bank will not be functional for 15 days (till April 10) owing to a suspension order issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last month.

From Tuesday, Jaslok Hospital’s blood bank will not be functional for 15 days (till April 10) owing to a suspension order issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last month.

Hospital authorities claimed that they have tied up with blood banks in the area in order to continue treating their patients.

The hospital received a suspension order after an FDA inquiry, which took place when a leukemia patient, Deepti Makhijani, was given B-positive instead of A-positive blood in October. She died of multiple organ failure on December 8.

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After receiving the order, the hospital authorities wrote to the state government in Februaury stating that the suspension of blood bank license would “adversely affect the services of the hospital and would deprive the patients of vital therapy very essential for their treatment.” The Peddar Road hospital has not yet got relief from the state government.

With the suspension coming into effect from Tuesday, the hospital will not be allowed to store blood in its blood bank. They are also forbidden from crosschecking the blood group of patients who need transfusion.

“We are prepared for the suspension. We have tie-ups with various hospitals around the area including Breach Candy Hospital and Saifee Hospital. Blood banks such as Red Cross Blood Bank, Fort, have also agreed to help us out. None of the planned surgeries will be cancelled,” said a hospital official.