Blood shortage grips Mumbai, nearby areas amid COVID-19 crisis

Avinash Kuse with his friend Pravin Nalawade who donated blood. Pic/Hanif Patel

In one of the many effects the COVID-19 lockdown has had, Vasai-Nalasopara and Virar are facing an acute shortage in blood banks. With blood banks in Mumbai nearly running dry, hospitals in the neighbouring cities have been immensely stressed.

"Doctors are struggling to revive patients amid low blood supply. A few of my patients had to be put on a ventilator or other life support as their health deteriorated," said a senior doctor working at a government hospital in Vasai.

The health of three patients at Appasheth Thorat hospital in Vasai West deteriorated after they did not get blood on time, said Dr Pravin Thorat. "A 43-year-old male patient suffering from piles urgently needed blood. His haemoglobin became alarmingly low, coupled with hypotension shock; his blood pressure dropped. It took two days for the family to find a donor," he said.

Dr Vidya Thakur, dean, Rajawadi hospital

A 62-year-old woman got her midshaft femur fractured and needed surgery. "She was AB +ve but there was no blood in the banks in Vasai-Virar and Mumbai. Her relatives found a bottle in Mumbai after two days' search," Dr Thorat said.

In another case, an 83-year-old man suffering from urosepsis with renal shock had to be put on ventilator support for 10 days before blood was found on the 11th day.

Vasai-based businessman Avinash Kuse's 74-year-old father was hospitalised after his haemoglobin dropped to 4. Kuse reached out to his friends and one of them agreed to donate blood. "I am thankful to my friend Pravin Nalawade who donated blood to my father. It is not easy to get a donor amid a pandemic."

mid-day reached out to various blood banks in Mumbai to gauge the situation on the ground:

Borivli Blood Bank, Dahisar
The blood bank's representative, Meenal, told mid-day, "We have only A+ve, B+ve and O+ve blood in our stock. We don't have AB -ve or AB +ve blood. People must get a donor here if they want blood. Each packet costs Rs 1,600. If you bring a donor, then there's a Rs 1,200 payment for 350 ml blood."

Pallavi Blood Bank, Govandi
The blood bank's representative Nilesh Arekar said people must get a donor to get blood. "Blood cannot be given only in exchange for money. We need to have a stock in our bank so people must get a donor to replace the blood they are taking," said Arekar.

Sant Nirankari Blood Bank, Western Express Highway
A representative said, "There used to be a donation camp every Sunday and people happily came for donation. But no one turns up now. We are flooded with demands from people from far-off places. We have no blood in the bank right now."

Samarpan Blood Bank, Ghatkopar
The blood bank's Shriram Naik said it is low on AB -ve blood. "A few donation camps were held but very few people turned up. In a bid to keep themselves healthy, people are desisting from donation," Naik said.

Samarpan charges Rs 1,500 for 350ml blood. One donor gets a discount of R500, two get a discount of Rs 1,300. Every 350 ml of AB +ve blood requires donating blood in exchange. The process takes around two-three hours.

'No harm in donation'

Dean of Rajawadi hospital, Dr Vidya Thakur, said, "Things have largely returned to normal in terms of surgeries. There is no shortage at Rajawadi hospital's blood bank but yes, regular donors are hesitant. Recently, we organised a camp at Badlapur and there was healthy response. For those who feel donating blood will reduce their immunity or that they will get infected at the camp, I must tell them that organisers take proper precautions and our bodies do not get affected by blood donation. Every healthy person should donate blood," said Dr Thakur.

Dean of JJ hospital, Dr. Ranjit Mankeshwar, said, "Recently, the flow of non-COVID patients has also increased and many cases need blood on an emergency basis. But most blood banks are dry".

NGOs pitch in

A social worker from Vasai-Virar, Chinmay Gavankar, said, "Even in Mumbai, people are facing the same situation. We have planned a Raktdaan Mahotsav in Vasai-Virar where local politicians and residents will request the masses to donate blood on December 20."

President of Samadhan Foundation, Fazle Haque Qureshi, said, "We have called for a meeting of NGOs in Vasai-Virar to resolve this issue."

200
No. of bottles of blood available at Rajawadi

13
No. of volunteer blood donors at Rajawadi on Tuesday

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