COVID-19 lockdown: Maharashtra govt calls for blood donation camps

As the COVID-19 positive cases and suspects continued to mount, Maharashtra is running the risk of its blood banks getting dried up because of an acute shortage of supply.
The State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) has flagged the issue to the Maharashtra government.

"The SBTC told me that we have stocks just for seven to eight days," Public Health & Family Welfare Minister Rajesh Tope said on Friday.

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"Blood is one thing that has no alternative.... we can't do without it...we also have to understand that blood has a shelf life of 35 days," he said and called for blood camps.

He said that it was a genuine issue that because of the India lockdown and the imposition of 144 CrPC, the public assembly could not be there.

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"The police and administration set up must ensure that blood donation camps are held but with the principle of social distancing," he said.