Blood Shortage Crisis Hits Capital Hospital: Urgent Appeal for Donations

Bhubaneswar: The Capital Hospital blood bank is grappling with a severe shortage of blood, attributing the crisis to the absence of blood donation camps in recent months.

The once-surplus blood bank is now struggling to maintain a stock of even 20 units per day, a significant drop from the daily requirement of around 90 units. With over 2000 patients seeking treatment at the hospital daily, the shortage is posing a critical challenge for patients in need, especially for accident victims, thalassemia patients, individuals with brain strokes, and those undergoing surgeries.

Emergency cases alone require 90 to 95 units of blood daily, highlighting the urgency of addressing the shortage. However, the data from the e-blood bank and over-the-counter records of the blood bank appear inconsistent.

While a few social organizations have been organizing blood donation camps, they fall short of meeting the escalating demand. Capital Hospital Director, Dr. Laxmidhar Sahoo, emphasized the pressing need for larger blood donation initiatives to alleviate the crisis in the capital city.