Blood shortage may hit emergencies at Ruia

Tirupati: Ruia hospital, which handles emergency cases and surgeries, is facing problems due to the fall in availability of blood as the number of donors has fallen drastically. Fall in blood reserves at blood banks in summer and examination time is common everywhere, it also needs immediate steps to improve the situation, express doctors

Barring the period of the Covid pandemic, the blood bank never faced shortage of blood. In the post-Covid period it started getting about 400-500 units per month. But for the past few days, the blood reserves started depleting and as of now it has about 160 units as against over 250 units about a month ago.

Hospital authorities are worried that if the situation does not improve the hospital may face shortage of blood in the next few weeks. "Generally, a good number of students donate blood but since they are now busy with preparation for annual exams, they are not able to donate blood," said Ruia hospital blood bank in charge Dr B Nagaraja.

He told Hans India that the main problem was that they could not balance the number of units issued with those received. Around 25-30 units are to be issued to patients in emergencies per day whereas they have been getting only 10-15 units.

Some blood groups like O negative are very rare. He said efforts are on to manage the situation. Further he said the AP government doctors' association and JUDAs have come forward to donate at least 50 units by organising a special camp on Tuesday.

Another major event to collect blood is also being organised during March and it is expected that they would get about 150 units of blood. If that happens, the summer demand could be managed, he added.