Nabarangpur: Tension ran high at the Nabarangpur district headquarters hospital (DHH) Friday when the patients didn’t get blood from the hospital blood bank, which is run by red cross.
Notably, out of the 34 patients at the hospital are children suffering from blood deficiency and pregnant women. However, they are yet to get a single bottle of blood from the bank due to shortage for the last two days.
Earlier, the bank used to provide 900 units of blood to patients in a month but now they don’t even have a single unit of blood in stock.
In 2016, some people filed complaints to the then district collector regarding illegal selling of blood following which stringent action was taken against two employees of the blood bank.
Even though Goushik Fitness Park, Parivartan Foundation, Bulu Mohapatra, Shirdi Sai Temple, Satya Sai Seva Trust, BSF, Rotary, and Lions club of
Nabarangpur town are providing blood units to the blood bank by conducting blood donation camps, it is unable to fulfil the requirement.
According to sources, although there was a proposal to set up a blood bank at Umerkote, it is being delayed.
Asked about the illegal sale of blood, the Additional District Medical Officer Sanjit Patnaik denied receiving such complaints.
“We will take strict action against the wrongdoers. There is shortage of blood in the blood bank. The kin of patients are not giving the required one unit of blood in exchange. They even demand blood free of cost,” said Patnaik
PNN
