NBTC order triggers huge blood shortage

Bengaluru: On February 17, the National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) passed an order that said a person cannot donate blood for the next 28 days after taking the last dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. As per the order, the donor has to wait for the next 28 days after taking the second dose which implies that they have to wait for 56 days after taking the first jab.

With this order the hospitals which are already stressed for want of blood are facing great difficulties in arranging blood during emergencies.

Dr Prathima, senior consultant pathologist and head of laboratory and blood storage service, Vikram Hospital, said that since the outbreak of the pandemic there have been restrictions on conducting blood donation camps.

"Vikram Hospital motivated employees for voluntary blood donation but now we are facing further challenge as the hospital health care workers have taken COVID-19 vaccination and the recent order of NBTC bars them from donating blood for 56 days. With resurgence of coronavirus positive cases, all blood banks are dreading acute shortage of blood and its products.

Hospitals are facing great difficulties for arranging emergency blood and blood products for critically ill and surgical cases. It's further challenging to make patient attendants understand this grave situation and voluntary donation from the family is still an under determined task due to lack of understanding and seriousness among the public. Hospital blood bank staff are proactively contacting volunteers below 45 years who are currently not vaccinated and motivating them to volunteer to donate blood," she added.

Dr Suriraju, chief urologist at Regal Hospital, said that though people below 45 can donate blood, the fear of contracting COVID is keeping them away.

"The problem is that people fear contracting COVID if they visit a blood bank to donate blood or while donating blood. This has resulted in a huge demand-supply gap. The patients are suffering and we too are having hard time arranging blood for patients. We want the public to understand that they will not contract COVID if they donate blood. Blood donation is safe and the whole process of blood collection is done in a very clean and hygienic way," he added.

Dr Jagadish Hiremath, Director, Ace Suhas Multi Speciality Hospital, said "At hospitals we need blood for various purposes. We need it for surgeries, emergency cases that have lost blood in various instances such as accidents etc. Along with those patients suffering various illnesses such as leukemia has to undergo blood transfusion two to three times a week. We are finding it hard to arrange for blood these days. This issue is going to be even more severe if the same continues. Volunteers have always rushed to hospitals/blood banks to donate blood and have saved millions of lives earlier. But the number has been decreasing due to fear of COVID. They have to come forward and continue donating blood just like before as it helps save lives."

Dr Sreelatha, head of the department of blood transfusion, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) stated that the situation at the hospital has not changed since the pandemic. "Volunteers are still not coming forward to donate blood," she added.