Fear of blood crisis in State as Blood on Call scheme closed

Aurangabad, April 3:

There is fear of a major blood crisis in government blood banks across the State with the closure of the 'Blood on Call' (Jeevan Amrit Seva) scheme from April 1. The scheme had been running in Government blood banks across the State since 2013.

Besides this, the axe of unemployment has fallen on 109 employees working in different of the State.

The Blood on Call scheme was launched in October 2013 in Government blood banks through the State Blood Transfusion Council of the Public Health Department to strengthen the blood banks and provide timely blood to needy patients so that relatives do not have to rush here and there for blood.

Blood transfusion officers, medical social workers and technicians were appointed in each government blood bank at very low salaries under the scheme. The staff appointments helped increase blood collection. It was also a great help in other matters.

The scheme was closed permanently on March 31. Therefore, the services of blood transfusion officers, medical social workers and technicians appointed under this scheme were terminated.

The termination of staff is expected to lead to a blood crisis in government blood centres across the State. “Many blood centres currently have only two to three days' supply of blood left”, said the staff.

Joint Director of State Blood Transfusion Council Dr Arun Thorat said that this is a government decision.

“Therefore, the service of the employees of the scheme has also come to an end. The blood banks have their regular staff,” he added. Hanuman Rule worked as a Medical Social Worker in the Divisional Blood Bank for the last eight years said, “I have served 24 hours, but now I lost job. A total of 109 employees met the same fate across the state.”