Mumbai: Blood banks to reserve blood units for patient with blood disorder

Taking note of multiple complaints from the thalassemia patients who are being refused free blood supply by blood banks and some blood centres are also asking for replacement donor, the State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) has now directed all the blood banks in Mumbai to issue free blood units to the patients of Thalassemia major, Haemophilia, Sickle Cell and any other blood disorders. Moreover they have also linked three to four blood banks to the nearest Day Care Thalassemia Centre. Health experts have welcomed this move stating it will benefit many patients who are in need of blood and don't have to run from pillar to post for arranging it.

As per the National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) guideline issued by the Government of Indian and Government of Maharashtra in the year 2014, free blood is required to be issued to the patients of Thalassemia, Haemophilia, Sickle Cell and any other blood disorders requiring repeated transfusion of blood by all the licensed blood centres. Moreover Thalassemia Major is a serious, genetic, blood disorder, which necessitates regular transfusion of Red Blood Cells.

“More than 2200 persons are living with Thalassemia Major in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. A large majority of the patients belong to financially disadvantaged families and an estimated 66,000 units of blood are required by them every year. This is almost 15 per cent – 20 per cent of blood that is collected by all blood centres in the region and there are some blood centres which are issuing more than 40% of their blood collection to the Thalassemia patients whereas some blood centres are issuing very meagre blood units or not issuing at all. As per mandate given by the Govt. of India every licensed blood centre need to issue free blood bags to the above patients and contribute to this social cause instead of carrying burden by few blood centres,” read the SBTC circular.

Dr Arun Thorat, Assistant Director, SBTC said they have been receiving many complaints from the Thalassemia patients of being refused from the blood banks or asking for replacement donors due to which they had faced problems in arranging for the blood during the pandemic. Moreover in the 45th meeting of the Governing Board of SBTC it was decided to formulate a system in consultation with Social Organisations, working for the thalassemia patients in which 2-3 blood centres will be linked to nearby Thalassemia Day Care Centres having blood centres for issue of the blood and it will be implemented as Pilot Project for Mumbai.

“We have now linked three to four blood banks to nearest Thalassemia care centres where these blood centres will have to provide monthly minimum blood units (Packed Cells). Those blood centres which are presently issuing more blood units, should continue to issue as hither-to-before. Further, such blood centres which are having their own Day Care Centre have been excluded. They should also continue to issue free blood as hither-to-be before,” he said.

Health experts have welcomed this move stating the SBTC needs to keep a close watch on these blood centres and should ask for the daily report of blood units they have been providing to the Thalassemia centres. “This step has been taken to benefit patients suffering from Thalassemia, Hemophilia, Sickle Cell and any other blood disorders. But there are blood banks who do not follow the orders and refuse the patients so SBTC needs to take strict actions against such centres,” said a doctor.

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