India's general election leaves WB blood banks dry

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India's general election leaves WB blood banks dry

Over 100 blood banks in West Bengal, 58 of them state-run, have failed to meet

the average requirement of blood units

Published on 6/2/2009 4:47:29 PM

By Soudhriti Bhabani

Kolkata: It's the flip side of India's month-long general elections. Blood banks

in West Bengal are facing acute shortage as social clubs, organisations and

political parties were too busy with the polls to organise donation camps.

The summer months are any way a lean period for organising donation camps due to

scorching heat, but this year it has become worse due to the polls, West Bengal

Voluntary Blood Donors' Forum General Secretary Apurva Ghosh said.

Over 100 blood banks, of which 58 are state-run, have failed to meet the average

requirement of blood units, particularly affecting thalassemia and blood cancer

patients who need regular blood transfusion.

" The situation is bad as far as the stock of blood units is concerned. The

social organisations and clubs were mostly busy making arrangements for

different political parties during the polls. They also avoided holding any camp

due to the searing heat, " Ghosh informed.

The state needs around 750,000 units of blood per year, which is more or less

achieved at other times through cumulative efforts of state-run and private

blood banks.

The average requirement of blood units in the state varies from 50,000 to 60,000

units per month. Of this, 60 per cent is used in Kolkata.

In 2008, the total collection of blood units was around 710,000.

" We could get less than 45 per cent of the total monthly requirement during

April-May this year. The number of donors has fallen significantly, " Ghosh said.

With most of the NGOs and clubs having some political affiliation or the other,

all were involved in campaigning.

" No one takes interest in organising any blood donation camp during summer.

We're finding it really difficult to meet the regular demand of blood units, " an

official of the Central Blood Bank in Maniktala said.

In West Bengal, the crisis for blood banks usually surfaces twice a year—in

summer and during the festive season.

In these four months—between April-May and September-October—the state faces a

total shortage of around 95,000 units.

" We have also intimated the Election Commission about this blood shortage during

the elections, as most of the polls in the state take place during summer. West

Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Debashis Sen has promised us that he would write

a letter to the Central Election Commission to consider this problem next time

during elections, " Ghosh said.

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