Blood banks facing acute shortage of blood in city

Aurangabad, Dec 5:

The region''s biggest blood bank at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) along with other private blood banks in the city are facing an acute shortage of blood for the past many days. The decline in the number of donors and blood donation camps are reasons for the low storage of blood in blood banks.

It is learnt that there were 47 units (packets) of blood available in the GMCH''s blood bank till Saturday evening. The shortage also emerges in the private blood banks in the city.

The GMCH''s blood bank is having storage less than 50 per cent of the demand. The colleges are closed due to Covid-19. Besides, the employees of many companies and organisations are also working from home. Hence there are no donors to donate blood voluntarily.

It is learnt that there is a demand of 80-100 units of blood in GMCH, but only 40-50 units are available. On Saturday morning, GMCH was having just 22 units of blood. However, the storage got increased by 25 more due to one blood donation camp held in the city. Meanwhile, the hospital is appealing to the relatives who are approaching the blood bank for their patients to donate the blood.

Aurangabad Blood Bank PRO, Shamrao Sonawane said, " There are seven private blood banks in the city and all of them experiencing the shortage of blood. Hence the donors should come forward. They should contact their nearest blood bank and donate the blood."

GMCH blood bank''s PRO Hanuman Rude said, " There are four camps on Sunday, and one will be held on Monday. Then there are two camps on Tuesday. I appealed to the donors to donate the blood in a large number."