Shortage of blood: SMS Medical College to collect 20 per cent blood from private camps

Jaipur: A shortage of blood has been noted at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College and Hospital following which the Rajasthan Health Department has directed the hospital to collect 20 per cent of the blood collected by private blood banks in the upcoming blood donation camp in the city. 

It has come to light that the medical college hospital is facing a severe shortage of blood which is strongly affecting the patients, especially children living with thalassemia as they require frequent blood transfusions. 

Taking note of the present situation, the health department has directed the SMS medical college authorities to send its team to collect 20 per cent of the blood from each camp organised by private blood banks in the city. 

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A list of upcoming blood donation camps has been shared by Food Safety and Drug Control Commissionerate (FSDCC) to the SMS Medical College and Hospital. 

Speaking to TOI, Ajay Phatak, drug controller (I), FSDCC, Rajasthan said, "We have issued directions to SMS Medical College to collect 20% of the blood collected at the blood donation camps coming up in the city. From each of these camps organised by private blood banks, 20% will go to the government and 80% can be taken by the private blood banks."   

Earlier, Dr Bhim Singh Meena, head of the department of immune haematology and transfusion medicine, at SMS Medical College informed the Daily, “Private blood banks have cropped up, but the number of blood donors has not increased. Our requirement for blood is 1.5 lakh units annually, but in two years, new private blood banks have increased significantly. Most of our blood donors have shifted to new blood banks.

We are facing the seasonal crisis as normally due to different reasons, blood donations go down in July and August. However, due to new private blood banks, we are facing a lot of problems."

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