Transfusion council slaps notice on 25 blood banks for overcharging

The State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) has issued notices to around 25 blood banks in city for overcharging . According to the notices sent, the blood banks from public, private and charitable hospitals were overcharging different amounts for blood bags, fresh frozen plasma (FFP), platelets, and cryoprecipitate.

The notice details were known after copies were received through Right To Information (RTI) application filed by RTI applicant Chetan Kothari. Earlier, the applicant had written to the state information commission (SIC) on lack of blood banks details displayed on the SBTC website.

As per the actual charges levied by the government, whole blood cost Rs 1,450; FFP cost Rs 400; platelet cost Rs 400 and cryoprecipitate cost Rs 250. The 25 blood banks in the different hospitals were overcharging whole blood by Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,300; FFP is overcharged by Rs 480 to Rs 850; platelets are overcharged by Rs 450 to Rs 1,050 and cryoprecipitate is overcharged by Rs 390 to Rs 700.

The SBTC officials refused to comment on the overcharging issues at blood banks in the city. One of the officials on condition of anonymity, said, "The blood banks are sending us to reply to the notices sent to them with an explanation of the issue. We are yet to get a reply from all the blood banks."

"Previously many blood banks were found overcharging, but they were let off, by warning but still they repeated the violation. When SBTC has got a rate card that the blood banks should be charging, they should put it up on the website for transparency," said RTI activist Chetan Kothari.