Blood donation no more safe in hospitals

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Blood donation no more safe in hospitals

Times of India, 23 Jan 2001

Beware of undergoing blood transfusion in private

nursing homes and hospitals. In blatant violation of

rules and procedures, several private nursing homes

and hospitals are `bleeding' people and transfusing

blood to patients without conducting the mandatory

tests for HIV, Hepatitis B and VDRL.

Though blood should either be tested by hospitals or

bought from licenced blood banks, `greedy' doctors do

not mind violating rules to " bleed the patient dry. "

They charge the patients heavy amounts by agreeing to

`bleed' their relatives and transfuse their blood to

them.

Normally, the relatives of the patient may come

forward to donate the blood but it may also be that

the hospitals encourage professional donors.

The Drugs Control Administration recently raided three

such nursing homes, including one in the city and

booked cases against them. In the nursing home in the

city, the blood was being collected in a nurse's room.

" In such cases it becomes difficult for our inspectors

to carry out raids. Most of the time, the hospital

authorities do not cooperate with our inspectors, "

Drugs Control Administration Director K Janaki Reddy

told The Times of India here on Monday. The DDA has

directed all its inspectors to carry out checks on

private hospitals.

The AIDS Control Society too has taken serious note of

the happenings. " We have heard that such things are

going on. We will soon be writing to the Indian

Medical Association and associations of nursing homes

and private hospitals against following the

practice, " an official said.

There are 134 blood banks in the State. These include

42 of the State government, five of the Central government,

two autonomous, 11 belonging to quasi government

organisations, eight to voluntary organisations,

35 private commercial blood banks and 31 private

hospitals. Only 31 private hospitals have been

given permission to have blood banks.

" It is shocking that in some nursing homes and private

hospitals, only the blood group is checked and the

blood transfused. People should not allow such a thing

to happen, " an official said.

Janaki Reddy pointed out that even if a patient's

relative wants to donate blood, it should be done

in licenced blood banks and only after necessary

tests are conducted.