Blood supply shortage ails govt hospitals in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Many government hospitals in the city have been experiencing a shortage in blood supply causing difficulties in meeting the transfusion requirements of patients. While such shortages typically occur duringsummer, this year’s situation has become particularly challenging for numerous patients in government healthcare facilities.

Although the Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM), Narayanguda generally supplies 100 units of blood to most of the government hospitals across the city and State which include, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Niloufer hospital, Osmania, Gandhi, MNJ Cancer hospital and others, it is able to supply only 70-80 units currently. In current times, IPM was only able to provide blood in in emergency cases.

Due to the paucity of blood from IPM, most of the government hospitals are conducting only emergency surgeries and deferring the elective surgeries. According to the sources of IPM, although the shortfall of blood supply is normal during summer, there is no room for panic like situation as of now.

The blood is being supplied to the patients admitted in government hospitals on a case to case basis if it is urgently required.

Various other factors can be attributed to the paucity of blood in summer. No blood donation camps are conducted in schools and colleges due to summer vacation, less number of donors during blood donation camp in IT offices as most of the employees are working in hybrid mode.

Also, due to the erratic weather in recent times, which led to the outbreak of seasonal flu, most of them are refraining themselves from donating blood as they one must not donate blood for a minimum of two weeks due to the consumption of antibiotics and other medicines.

The shortage of blood has also left several hundreds of thalassaemia and other blood disorder patients in a fix in the State. The reluctance or reduced turnout of people at blood banks for donation has also become a significant contributing factor to the ongoing challenge faced by the government hospitals.

HOST OF REASONS FOR BLOOD CRUNCH

No blood donation camps in schools and colleges due to summer vacation

Less number of donors during blood donation camp in IT offices as most of employees work in hybrid mode

Consumption of antibiotics and other medicines, refraining people from donating blood for a minimum of two weeks