The Drugs Control Department on Sunday visited the Indian Red Cross Blood Bank on the premises of the Lady Goschen Hospital, following complaints of storage of expired stock of whole blood.
The visit by the department officials follows reports in local newspapers accusing the blood bank personnel of attempting to dispose off excess blood collected following camps held in September. Hanumanth Kamath, a member of the Indian Red Cross Society, on Saturday, found excess stock of blood kept in a corner of the blood bank.
Assistant Drug Controller K.V. Nagaraj visited the blood bank on Sunday and found 43 units of blood stocked in a box. Of this, 38 units were beyond one month from the date of extraction. Two units of blood had been discarded as it had not been filled to the necessary quantity. There were three units of blood that were tested positive for HIV. This was part of the blood collected in the camp held on September 26.
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Mr. Nagaraj said whole blood has to be used within 35 days from the date of extraction, while the platelets and other blood components have to be used within five days. The expired stock of blood should have been disposed in inclinators by October 31 or November 1. A report about the lapse in compliance with mandatory procedures will be submitted to the State Drug Controller, he said.
Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim, who heads the District Indian Red Cross Society, said a meeting has been called on Monday with office-bears of the society and the Superintendent of Lady Goschen Hospital. Mr. Ibrahim said a process should be worked out for the use of blood donated among the 10 blood banks operating in the city. “The blood donated should be put to use within that specified period,” he said.