Bengal blood banks facing severe shortage

“All
the major festivals, including the mega event of Durga Puja, were
celebrated in October. Naturally, the social organisations and clubs
were busy making arrangements for the puja. Very few blood donation
camps were organised during festival time in the state this year,”
Apurva Ghosh, general secretary of the West Bengal Voluntary Blood
Donors’ Forum, told IANS.

Said Ghosh: “West Bengal has a
requirement of 750,000 units of blood per annum, of which 620,000 units
have been achieved so far.”

The average requirement of blood units in the state varied from 50,000 to 60,000 per month.

“This
shortfall has caused problems for thalassemia patients and those who
are suffering from blood cancer and are in need of regular blood
transfusion,” he said.

According to a source at the SSKM
Hospital, a state-run premier healthcare unit in Kolkata, blood banks
are finding it hard to meet the demand.

“The demand was much
higher than the normal figure in October and there aren’t sufficient
stocks preserved with the blood banks,” the source said.

Some are even rationing the supply.

S.K.
Sen Barat, who works with a city-based private blood bank, said:
“Almost every month we give about 500 units, but so far we have given
350.”

Ghosh said various political parties in the state play a very important role in blood donation activities round the year.

“But
this time they were also busy with burning issues like the Singur land
acquisition and the (coming) Lok Sabha poll. So they took no initiative
to arrange blood donation programmes,” Ghosh said.

“We’ve given
several proposals to the state government to make adequate arrangements
for the festive season, as we all are aware of the crisis here. There
should be proper planning on the part of the government and voluntary
organisations in tackling such a critical challenge,” Ghosh said.

State
Director for Health Services Sanchita Bakshi admitted told IANS: “It’s
true that there was a serious crisis, but gradually we’re trying to get
over that since the festive occasions are now over. We’ve decided to
hold at least 14 blood donation camps in November all over the state.”