Hyderabad blood banks face shortage as list of 'unfit' donors grows

HYDERABAD: The rapidly expanding pool of people 'unfit' to donate blood is leaving thalassaemia patients from Hyderabad in distress. With the bank fast depleting, many of them are seen sending out SOS messages seeking blood. From roughly 7% rejections until five years ago, blood banks say the figure has touched almost 15% now.
Reason: Lifestyle diseases like diabetes and hypertension, along with heart ailments and thyroid. The excessive use of antibiotics is another major factor as those on such drugs are immediately struck off from the list of donors. Given the current supply, only 50% of the demand is being met, say members of the thalassaemia society, raising alarm about a severe shortage.
"At least 10% of the donors turning up at our centre are rejected regularly because of lifestyle diseases," said Dheeraj Kaveri from Aarohi Blood Bank, highlighting how the donors' pool is shrinking fast.
This has come to adversely impact those like the seven-year-old daughter of Afsar Shaik, who requires blood transfusion every week. But because of the shortage, she is getting it once in three weeks. "Recently, I faced a crisis as she was overdue for 10 days and had become very weak. I ran from one blood bank to another for five days to arrange for blood," said Afsar.
According to doctors, thalassaemia patients can at best withstand a delay of about a month - albeit with extreme weakness - but will need ventilator support post that. This can prove fatal.
In the case of three-year-old Shafiya, doctors had to put her on oxygen support because of a delay of four days. She requires one unit of blood for transfusion every fortnight. "The delay deteriorated her health gravely. Though she has recovered now, we are very scared since there is a persistent shortage of blood," said her father, Mohd Pasha.
Adding to the crisis is the rise in lifestyle diseases among the younger lot. "Previously, college students, those enrolled with NCC etc used to form a chunk of donors. But even they are getting rejected now on health grounds," said Aleem Baig, joint secretary, Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Society, Telangana. He added: "Also, since the pandemic hit, the usage of antibiotics has increased manifold. Rampant use of antibiotics in case of fever, cough and cold has also made many people unfit to donate blood."
Given the massive demand-supply gap, Baig has requested blood banks to organise donation camps to meet the requirement. The society currently has 3,085 registered patients, but is being able to meet only 50% of the demand. The city is also witnessing the usual summer-time dip in donors as many are travelling for a vacation.