KOLKATA: Surgeons across city hospitals are postponing some planned surgeries as blood banks are running dry because of low supply due to summer, Covid-19 and the
elections.
“We had to put a planned surgery on hold due to want of blood. We needed to keep three units of O negative blood prior to the surgery. The family could arrange donors five days later and after that we carried out the surgery,” said a surgeon attached with a private hospital.
“This is quite alarming. Even common groups like A or B positive are not available on some days,” said transfusion medicine specialist Ritam Chakraborty, in-charge of the blood back at
AMRI Dhakuria. Apart from patients who need to undergo surgery, cancer and thalassemia patients who need regular blood transfusion are also at the receiving ends.
“Our monthly requirement is about 500 units. Right now even though we have less number of patients, our needs are being supplemented by organisations like
Project Life Force,” said Swapan Adak, the
blood bank in-charge at Saroj Gupta Cancer Centre and Research Institute, Thakurpukur.
People’s Blood Bank would earlier supply 250 to 270 units of blood products daily to hospitals across the city. The stock with the bank is currently running out. “I fear the crisis will go on till at least the middle of May,” said Bratish Neogi of People’s Blood Bank. “With no camps around we have no stock left. We appeal to corporate houses to conduct camps to tide over the situation,” said Kailash Khandelwal of Lions District 322b1 Blood Centre.
Blood donation camps organised by political parties and local clubs are the main source for blood banks. But due to the elections there has been no such camps for over a month. “We have to keep some units of blood ready for patients who undergo major surgeries. There certainly is a shortage right at the moment,” said oncologist Gautam Mukhopadhyay.
The Central Blood Bank in Manicktala currently has stock that would last only for a week. Officials at the bank are currently rationing the supply.
To tide over the crisis employees at Swasthya Bhawan recently donated blood at a camp at the state health headquarters.