The State Government on Sunday announced a high-level probe into the alleged sale of blood plasma to private agencies by Blood Banks of the State.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Damodar Rout directed the Odisha State Aids Control Society (OSACS) to inquiry into the issue of sale of blood plasma to private agencies and submit a detailed report within three days, according to official sources.On the other hand, questions have been raised over the probe order as the OSACS reportedly advised the Blood Banks to sale the blood plazma to the private blood banks.
The issue of Blood scam came to the fore following media reports that the Central Blood Bank at Cuttack was resorted to clandestine sale of blood plazma units to a private firm, Relinace life Science, at a throwaway price at Rs 200 per unit. The RlS was allegedly selling the blood plazma units at an exorbitant price between Rs 1,400 and Rs 1,500 per unit in open market causing hardship to the poor and needy patients.Meanhile, the Cuttack District Collector has also asked the Additional District Magistrate to probe the sale of plasma by the Cuttack Central Blood Bank.
The OSACS, at its council meeting held on May 29 and which was attended by all most all the Government-run Blood Bank Officers, had decided to sale the blood plasma units stacked in the blood banks after meeting the local demands. The BlOs were reportedly asked to sale the plasma units at Rs 200 per unit to the private agencies dealing with blood business.
The move to sell blood plasma was aimed at generating revenue for the better functioning of the Blood Banks, the sources said.However, the activists involved in the blood donation activities had questioned the propriety of the Blood Bank authorities to sell blood at low prices to private firms when there has been acute shortage of blood in the State.