Wastage of blood: HC issues notice to government

CUTTACK: The improper management of precious blood in the blood banks, resulting in huge wastage, has drawn attention of the Orissa High Court which on Friday issued notice to the State Government.A Division Bench of Chief Justice V Gopalagowda and Justice B N Mohapatra has directed the State Government and the Indian Red Cross Society, Orissa State Branch, to file their responses within two weeks.The directions came in response to a PIL filed by Ratan Sinha, secretary of city-based Shrustee organisation that works for promotion of voluntary blood donation, seeking orders to the State Government to streamline the blood collection, distribution and disposal of the precious lifesaving fluid.The trigger has been the recent incidents of dumping of huge quantity of blood units on the roadside near the SCB Medical in the vicinity of the Central Red Cross Blood Bank here and on the roof of the blood bank of the Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar.Such wastage and disposal in dangerous conditions have shaken the conscience of the voluntary organisations involved in collection of blood by holding camps and promotional events.While the poor and needy are dying due to non-availability of blood, such waste of precious human blood is indeed shocking and impermissible, Sinha submitted.The Red Cross Blood Banks are controlled, managed and financed by the State Government.But it is a matter of concern that the State has taken no step to streamline the management of blood in the banks so as to ensure optimum utilisation and curb wastage.Instructions may also be issued to the private hospitals and nursing homes to avoid wastage of blood, the PIL said. Due to the lack of coordination among the blood banks throughout the State, surplus blood is found in some areas while others suffer from acute scarcity. It is therefore important to evolve a mechanism to ensure proper distribution of blood among the banks, Sinha stated.