Rohit Shishodia

At a time when there is dire need of blood to save patients with Covid and other diseases, Delhi-AIIMS is faced with severe shortage of blood in its blood bank in Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre (JPNATC), where patients of Covid are being treated.

The hospital has asked its doctors to motivate patients’ attendants to donate blood to tackle the shortage and save the patients in critical condition. The shortage in the blood bank has impacted treatment of patients in ICU.

The hospital has said that there is need of blood for patients suffering from Covid in ICUs and wards while there has been no blood donation for the last three months.

This situation has also come in view of shortage of blood in other blood banks, including CNC Blood Bank in AIIMS and Indian Red Cross Bank, from where blood used to be arranged earlier. This severe shortage has led to major concern as many patients with critical condition can be saved through blood donation.

A circular issued by Dr S Arulselvi, Faculty In-charge, Blood Bank, JPNATC, says that blood stock in blood bank, JPNATC, is depleting. "We are facing severe shortage of packed RBC and platelet concentrates due to which we have to arrange these blood components from main blood bank/CNC Blood Bank, AIIMS or Indian Red Cross Blood Bank."

“But now with shortage of blood units in their respective blood banks it is becoming difficult to arrange blood component units from other blood banks,” it adds.

“Over the past few weeks, there is rise in the number of transfusion requests for patients admitted in Covid ICUs and wards (without getting any replacement blood donation done at Blood Bank, JPNAC). It has been noted that during last three months no replacement blood donation is being done from patients' attendant admitted in wards and ICU,” reads the circular.

“In view of the situation, it is a request to all the treating clinicians to kindly motivate the patients’ attendants for replacement donation. Also, send all routine demands attached with blood donation cards, without which it will be difficult to accept such requests. This will help the blood transfusion services to run efficiently and serve the needy patients,” reads the circular.