Koraput dist hosp struggles with depleting blood stock, patients asked to bring replacement

Koraput: Anaemia paitent Lingaeswar Naik (35), who is undergoing treatment at District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) in Jeypore, was asked to arrange for a donor before his transfusion on Monday.

“Due to the shortage of blood in the hospital, I was asked to arrange a donor for a replacement transfusion. I received blood only after donation by a relative,” said Naik.

The DHH in Jeypore asked the patient to do so as it has been struggling with a severe crisis in its blood stock, with just 22 units left in its blood bank as on Monday, against its capacity of 1,000 units, raising serious concerns about emergency healthcare preparedness in tribal-dominated Koraput. All the more its website — which is updated every day at 6am — reported having just one unit left in the blood bank.

Blood bank officer S S Mishra said they had 30 units of untested blood collected from donors. “From them 22 had been tested, and added to the stock. Rest will also be tested and added to the reserve for use soon,” he said, adding the hospital required 20-25 units of blood every day.

Hospital sources said the shortage has been building over the past few weeks due to a sharp decline in voluntary blood donation camps and reduced public participation.

People are increasingly reluctant to come forward for voluntary blood donation, said Mishra.

Officials admitted the situation has turned critical, particularly for patients requiring urgent transfusions, including accident victims, pregnant women and those undergoing surgeries.

The crisis has put additional pressure on hospital authorities, who are struggling to manage even routine requirements. In several cases like that of Naik, patient attendants are reportedly being asked to arrange donors themselves, adding to the distress of already anxious families.

Health experts emphasised that sustained community engagement and awareness are essential to maintaining adequate blood reserves.

Large-scale awareness campaigns are needed to encourage voluntary blood donation, said Sanjit Patnaik, a Koraput-based health activist.

To address the crisis, officials said at least 10 blood donation camps have been planned across the district during April and May.

“We are coordinating with various organisations, educational institutions and voluntary groups to organise these camps. Our focus is to ensure a steady inflow of donors and rebuild public confidence,” Mishra said.

Meanwhile, authorities have urged citizens to come forward and donate blood voluntarily to help save lives and prevent the situation from worsening.