1,092 units of blood expired in banks this year

Data from Mumbai-based civic and government-run blood banks shows that over 1,092 units of blood bags expired between January and June this year.

Data on the State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) website says that 17 blood banks in the city have wasted around 382.2 litres of blood in six months.

In KEM Hospital, while 14, 250 units were utilised, zero units were expired, and over all 345 units were discarded due to infection.

JJ Mahanagar Rakthapedhi tops in terms of expired blood bags. While 13,022 blood units were utilised, 268 units expired in the bank.

The SBTC acted after the State Information Commission in a first RTI appeal wrote a letter to the council to update the data by August 15 this year.

RTI activist Chetan Kothari said, “Most of the blood units got discarded due to infection or because of expiry. It is shocking that SBTC has not obeyed orders and uploaded vital information of non-governmental blood banks earlier.”