Blood banks asked display list of donors with rare blood group

Maharashtra Legislative Council Chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar today directed state government to ensure that blood banks across the state prominently display a list of "rare blood group donors" for convenience of families of patients.
While replying to a debate during Question Hour on the issue of people being forced to buy blood from the hospital where a patient is admitted, Food and Civil Supplies minister Girish Bapat clarified that there has been no such instance.
To another query, he replied that the Centre has issued guidelines to blood banks on the sale of blood.
"There are specific guidelines of communication between blood banks on how much blood is in stock so that patients can be diverted to a place where the required blood group is available," he said.

"Besides, staff of blood banks are being counselled by holding training camps on technical aspects related to preserving and sale of blood. We have also directed that temporary staff should not be appointed and only those who know their work should be working in blood banks," he said.
Nimbalkar then said, "The government should think on my direction that blood banks be directed to display the names of blood donors who have rare blood groups so that they can be contacted in case of an emergency."

To a query on instances that blood donations camps are being held by alluring people with gifts in lieu of donating blood, Bapat conceded that such instances have come to the fore and assured that such practices will be stopped.

"Organisers instead of luring with gifts should adopt other methods if required, like saying they will provide food for a week to donors," he said.
To a query on banks demanding high charges for blood, Bapat said blood charges cannot be made uniform as banks have to spend on preservation of blood.
"Apart from it, the staff working in three different shifts have to be paid. There have been instances where blood banks have shut down due to lack of funds. Banks charge according to their expenses," he said.
Bapat further said that blood banks have been asked to keep names and addresses of people with rare blood groups.