Letter to editor
The recent article, titled “Empty blood banks in hospitals add to patients' woes” is excellent but just the tip of an ice-berg. As per Supreme Court as well as Health Ministry guidelines, blood remains responsibility of the state and central Govt. and the hospital cannot force the relative (patients' kin) to arrange for replacement donor (to swap blood) and there have been strict guidelines on the same.
The expired blood (as the preserved life of Blood is just 30 days) existing in blood bank is huge and never disclosed by Blood banks unless an RTI is filed to Medical Superintendent. The article is an excellent start especially considering no. of victims and frequent requirement of blood by the local population.
Thanks
Dr. Anita Saraf
