by SUMITRA
DEBROY, TNN | UPDATED: APR 24, 2017, 08.43 AM
IST
MUMBAI:
In the last five years, over 28 lakh units of blood and its components were
discarded by banks across India, exposing serious loopholes in the nation's
blood banking system.
If calculated in litres, the cumulative wastage
of 6 per cent translates to over 6 lakh litres —a volume enough to fill up 53
water tankers.
India faces, on average, a shortfall of 3
million units of blood annually. Lack of blood, plasma or platelets often leads
to maternal mortality as deaths in cases of accidents involving severe blood
loss.
Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil
Nadu were among the worst offenders, discarding not just whole blood but even
red blood cells and plasma as the life-saving components could not be used
before their expiry date.
In 2016-17 alone, over 6.57 lakh units of blood
and its products were discarded.
The worrying part is that 50 per cent of the
wasted units were of plasma, which has a shelf life of one year, much longer
than the 35-day deadline by which whole blood and red blood cells have to be
used. The spoilage has been laid bare in data provided by the National Aids
Control Organisation (Naco) in response to an RTI query filed by petitioner
Chetan Kothari.
Maharashtra, which is the only state to have crossed the
one-million mark vis-a-vis collection of blood units, also accounted for the
maximum wastage of whole blood, followed by West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.
Maharashtra, UP and Karnataka bagged the top
three positions in the wastage of red blood cells. UP and Karnataka also wasted
the maximum units of fresh frozen plasma.
In 2016-17, over 3 lakh units of fresh frozen
plasma were discarded, which is surprising given that the product is imported
by several pharma companies to produce albumin.
Crusaders for safe blood blamed the crisis on
the absence of a robust blood sharing network between banks and hospitals. Donation
camps involving thousands of participants have particularly come under fire,
with many blaming local politicians for using them as a tool to please
constituents.
Dr Zarine Bharucha of the Indian Red Cross
Society pointed out that a collection of up to 500 units was acceptable and
manageable.
"But
we have seen and heard of camps where 1,000 to 3,000 units are collected...
Where is the place to store so much blood?" she added, "Why can't
people walk into regular banks and donate once every three months?" she
said.
Dr Satish Pawar, head of the directorate of
health services in Maharashtra, said that the wastage could be attributed to a
"noble health plan to curtail maternal deaths".
"We
have created more than 200 storage centres in interior areas for emergencies...
We would rather be prepared to save a life than worry about unused units of
blood," he said. While Naco officials could not be reached for an official
comment, a senior health ministry official told TOI that Naco had allowed banks
to transfer units last year.
"In 2016-17, there is a near 17 per cent
fall in wastage. Also, hospitals have to keep blood in emergency reserve to
deal with mass casualties, the officer
said.
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