In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, hospitals around the country are facing a shortage of blood supplies. It has gotten worse over the week as the lockdown has been extended in the country.
As per data compiled by the Maharashtra State Blood Transfusion (SBTC) council, both the KEM and Sion hospital currently has 100 units. However, it is one-third and one-sixth of its usual stock in the month of May. Officials from the centre have further stated that the blood shortage in hospitals has now become too acute. The officials are worried about the aftermath of the lockdown period when the demand for blood is touted to increase as surgical procedures resume in hospitals.
Data from the SBTC till Tuesday, May 12, 2020, shows that there are less than 10 blood units each in blood banks of Dr R N Cooper Hospital, GT Hospital, Holy Family Hospital, KB Bhabha Municipal Hospital, Rajawadi Hospital, Ashirwad Blood Bank, Sushilaben Blood Bank, Asian Heart Institute, Masina hospital, Sant Nirankari Blood Bank and Jagjivan Ram Hospital.
The SBTC has initiated several camps, mandals, religious organizations, NSS units, housing societies to hold blood donation camps. The most badly hit blood groups are A negative, B negative, AB negative and O negative. There are only 883 units of A positive blood group, the most common blood group, and over 600 units of B positive.
There are several benefits of regular blood donation. It brings multiple benefits to the human body, preventing a heart attack, controlling blood pressure, with the cholesterol level in the blood going down and obesity being checked among others. Usually, in the month of April, a major camp is held in Bandra, Mumbai to collect blood. However, this year as a consequence of social distancing it was not initiated. The current stock of platelets is less than 400 units in Mumbai. The requirement for blood rises 800 to 900 units every day in the city during monsoon.
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