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

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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