Acute blood shortage in Maharashtra, surgeries to be impacted

Blood supply has been badly affected because of the Covid-19 lockdown, unlock situation

With the depleting stock in blood banks, the Maharashtra government has appealed to people to come ahead and donate blood voluntarily.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and state’s public health and family welfare minister Rajesh Tope have been making repeated requests over the last two days to motivate citizens to be part of the blood donation process.

The State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) is also reviewing the stock situation daily.

According to last week’s status, there are 19,059 units of blood and 2,583 units of platelets in 344 blood banks in Maharashtra out of which 3,239 units of blood and 611 units of platelets are in 58 blood banks in Mumbai.

The collection has been badly affected because of the Covid-19 lockdown, unlock situation, as colleges where camps are regularly held were shut.

“The shortage is acute,” Tope said, appealing people to donate blood.

According to reports, scheduled as well as emergency surgeries may be affected because of the shortage.

Coinciding with the 74th birthday of Congress, the party organised several blood donation camps. NCP supremo Sharad Pawar turns 80 on 12 December, when the party would hold blood donation camps. Shiv Sena too has been holding blood donation camps.

Yuva Sena leader Samadhan Sarvankar has organised a blood donation camp on Sunday wherein donors will be compensated with one kg chicken or paneer.