Private blood banks may soon be banned from organising donation camps in colleges

Don't let pvt banks collect blood from students: Govt to universities

 

Private blood banks may soon be banned from organising donation camps in colleges over concerns about the quality of blood collected during such drives and the high rates they later charge patients.

 

The state health department is planning to send a circular to universities advising them not to allow unrecognised blood banks to collect blood from student donors. The State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) that regulates blood banks in the state, says it is receiving several complaints from patients and relatives that blood distributed by private blood banks is sold at twice the rate compared to government blood banks.

 

Also, there are allegations that private blood banks do not maintain the quality as per the norms laid down by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and the SBTC.

"After the council's reccomendations, we have decided to bar private blood banks from collecting blood in colleges," said an official from the health department.

 

There are 264 blood banks in the state, of which 75 are run by state agencies. While the latter sell a unit of blood for Rs450, blood banks charge over Rs1,000.

"We have called a meeting of stakeholders next week to frame new guidelines for blood banks," said Suresh Shetty, state health minister.

 

Private blood banks say the proposed ban is unethical. An official from a private blood bank said, "Not all private blood banks charge more, and many maintain the quality required under government norms without charging exorbitantly. The health department should survey private blood banks through surprise visits instead of punishing everyone."