Blood banks with no systematic distribution system waste up to 50 per cent of certain blood components. While wastage of up to 10 to 15 per cent is acceptable as blood banks are expected to have a buffer stock, the wastage is reported to be as high as 50 per cent in many cases. Up to 50 per cent of red blood cells are lost at centres treating cancer and almost the same per cent of platelets are lost at hospitals, especially when cases of seasonal diseases like dengue or leptospirosis are less.
This happens because most of the hospitals have their own blood banks. In private hospitals, the onus is on the bystander to arrange donors for the patient’s needs.
Dr. N. Vijayakumar, in-charge of the Regional Blood Transfusion Centre, Aluva, said that in spite of the Aluva blood bank being the only NABL-accredited blood bank, private hospitals prefer to collect blood from donors at their hospital. This is against the spirit of the High Court order, he said. Relying on public blood banks helps ease tension of bystanders and promotes voluntary blood donation, said Dr. Vijayakumar. However, Dr. Vijayakumar said that it is seldom that private hospitals take blood from our bank. It is interesting, however, to note that the largest client of the Indian Medical Association’s blood bank is the District General Hospital. Blood donors in various forums complain about the manner in which the private hospitals try to avoid taking blood from public blood banks like the one in Aluva, Kochi, or the well-equipped blood bank at the Government Medical College, Kalamassery. The cost of one unit at the IMA’s blood bank is just about Rs. 1,000, though the private blood banks charge much more. According to Dr. Vijayakumar, even with state-of-the-art equipment and top quality reagents, the cost can be maintained between Rs. 800-900.
Blood Donor’s Day
The Aluva blood bank will honour some of the donors on Monday to mark the World Blood Donor's Day that was observed on Sunday (June 14). It is through camps conducted by the Aluva blood bank that 85 per cent of the blood is brought in per month.
