Mumbai: Thalassemia Patients Face Delays In Free Blood Transfusions Despite Adequate Blood Stocks

Mumbai, July 1: Despite healthy blood stocks across most blood banks in Mumbai, many thalassaemia patients continue to struggle to access free blood transfusions under the government's entitlement scheme, raising concerns over the implementation of the State Blood Transfusion Council's (SBTC) directives.

Patients and social activists claim that transfusion-dependent thalassaemia patients, particularly those referred from the public hospital at Sion, are frequently denied free blood or asked to visit multiple blood banks before securing a unit. While blood inventories have improved significantly in recent weeks, they say access to free blood remains a major challenge.

One such patient, Sandhya, spent nearly five hours searching for blood before finally receiving a transfusion. "I kept moving from one blood bank to another throughout the morning. This problem becomes particularly severe between April and June every year," she said.

Concerns Over Policy Implementation

According to activists, several blood banks are reluctant to provide free blood to patients referred from public hospitals, fearing that doing so would attract a large number of beneficiaries and place additional pressure on their inventories. They allege that even some government-run blood banks hesitate to issue free units despite having adequate stock.

The situation is at odds with the Maharashtra government's policy and the SBTC's guidelines, which mandate that thalassaemia patients and others requiring regular transfusions receive blood free of cost through designated blood banks. In 2024, the SBTC further directed affiliated private blood banks to reserve blood units for thalassaemia patients to ensure uninterrupted treatment.

Medical experts point out that patients with thalassaemia require blood transfusions every two to four weeks throughout their lives. Any delay in receiving blood can result in severe anaemia, growth retardation, organ damage and other life-threatening complications, making timely access to blood critical.

SBTC Urges Patients To Report Issues

Patient organisations have urged the SBTC and the State health department to move beyond issuing circulars and ensure strict enforcement of the free blood policy.

They have demanded regular monitoring of blood banks, greater accountability and an effective mechanism to ensure that eligible patients are not denied treatment despite adequate blood availability.

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Responding to the concerns, Dr Suhas Mohanalkar, Director of the State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC), said patients facing difficulties in obtaining blood should immediately report the matter.

"If any eligible patient is denied blood or faces unnecessary hardship, they should file a complaint with the SBTC. We will investigate the matter promptly and take appropriate action against the concerned blood banks," he said.

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