Kolkata: In the wake of the state health depart finding irregularities in some private blood banks, health officials on Tuesday held a meeting with 73 private blood banks, including 11 that are under the scanner. While cautioning action against blood centres that violate blood safety norms, health officials suggested ways of rectifying the standard shortfall by some of these units.
Of the 11 blood centres raided by the health officials recently, one was ordered complete closure a couple of days ago, the rest were barred from holding voluntary blood donation camps the rest while allowing them to take blood from donors at the centre. Now the govt has lifted the embargo on two blood centres – one in Raiganj and the other in Burdwan.
During the Tuesday meeting the rest under scanner have been told to rectify their shortcomings and file a compliance report within 48 hours so that they can start resuming blood outside donations camps.
“All the 73 private blood centres apart from one attended the meeting. It was a discussion on quality, safety norms and other rules and regulation that has to be abided by each blood centre that include correct way of holding volunatary blood donation camps, need for qualified manpower etc,” said state health minister Sharadwat Mukherjee.
Of the 73 private blood centres 52 are located in Kolkata. Health officials said they have found the 11 under the scanner of violating various safety norms while few were found to have sold blood components in neighbouring states which is illegal. Officials said there is no bar on holding voluntary blood donation camp on the 62 private blood centres.
“We have also come across some media report of blood scarcity which is not true. Barring one blood centre the rest 10 were allowed in-house donation all along. Please do not spread panic,” said the health minister.
In addition the State Blood Transfusion Council officials, principal health secretary, DME and DHS, the director National Blood Transfusion Council director also took part in the meeting virtually from the national capital. Health officials said if needed they will go for handholding exercises deploying govt doctors to donation camps if some of these centres did not have required manpower.