1 week ago
West Bengal Inspects Private Blood Banks Amid Black-Marketing Reports
West Bengal officials are checking private blood banks because some blood may have been sold illegally.
One blood bank reportedly held 35 donation camps in one day and collected 1,600 units.
Officials said it did not have enough equipment to test and store that much blood.
They also said medical students, rather than qualified doctors, were used at some donation camps.
The health department is investigating where the collected blood went.
The state health minister said people responsible would face legal action.
Police also arrested three laboratory technicians over alleged blood black-marketing.
The Calcutta High Court told the department to finish its investigation quickly.
The 11 private banks under investigation cannot conduct donation camps until further orders.
West Bengal’s health department will inspect private blood banks after reports of blood and plasma black-marketing.
Officials questioned how one Beliaghata blood bank collected 1,600 units through 35 camps in one day.
The department said the facility lacked adequate blood-screening and storage infrastructure for that volume.
Three laboratory technicians at Panskura Super Speciality Hospital were arrested over alleged blood black-marketing.
The Calcutta High Court ordered a speedy probe into 11 private blood banks and upheld their camp ban during the investigation.
- Who
- West Bengal’s health department, private blood banks, West Bengal Police, and the Calcutta High Court are involved; three laboratory technicians were arrested.
- What
- The health department is inspecting private blood banks amid allegations of illegal blood and plasma sales and other irregularities.
- Where
- West Bengal, including a private blood bank in Beliaghata, Kolkata, and Panskura Super Speciality Hospital in East Midnapore district.
- When
- The inspection decision followed recent incidents; three arrests were made on Tuesday, and the court issued its direction earlier this month.
- Why
- Officials want to verify whether blood banks have adequate screening and storage facilities and to investigate alleged black-marketing and rule violations.
Health Department and Investigators
Challenging Private Blood Bank
Inspection and investigation
Health Department and Investigators
Officials say inspections are necessary to determine whether private banks have the infrastructure to screen and store the blood they collect and to identify possible illegal sales.
Challenging Private Blood Bank
One of the 11 private blood banks challenged the department’s ban in the Calcutta High Court, although the article does not report a substantive defense of the allegations.
Donation-camp restrictions
Health Department and Investigators
The Health Department barred the 11 banks from holding donation camps while its investigation continues.
Challenging Private Blood Bank
The private bank that approached the court sought to challenge that order; the court did not stop the ongoing probe but set a completion timeline.
Key facts
- Reported collection
- A Beliaghata private blood bank reportedly collected 1,600 units through 35 blood donation camps in one day.
- Alleged infrastructure gap
- Officials said the blood bank lacked adequate facilities to screen and preserve the collected blood.
- Arrests
- Three laboratory technicians attached to Panskura Super Speciality Hospital were arrested over alleged blood black-marketing.
- Private banks under probe
- The Calcutta High Court directed the Health Department to complete its probe into 11 private blood banks quickly.
- Temporary restriction
- The 11 private blood banks were barred from conducting blood donation camps anywhere in West Bengal until further orders.
- Reported staffing violation
- Officials said medical students from a state-run medical college were used instead of qualified doctors at some donation camps.
Quotes
A state health department official
An unnamed West Bengal health department official explaining the purpose of the inspections.
“The inspection is intended to check whether these private blood banks have the requisite infrastructure like screening and preserving of collected blood beyond a particular capacity and whether that infrastructure there matches with the amount of blood collected by them by conducting frequent blood donation camps.”
thehansindia.com
Dr Saradwat Mukherjee
West Bengal’s health minister and a medical practitioner.
“A detailed investigation on this menace is on. Whoever is behind such rackets will be identified and booked per the legal system.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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