As the regular blood donation camps could not be held due to the hurly-burly of elections, there is a shortage of blood in the blood bank of the District Headquarters Hospital in Kendrapada.
This has emerged as a major headache for the Health Department.
The three-tier five phase panchayat election cast its shadow on blood donation camps since last two months. The donors, blood donation organisers and people preferred to remain in their villages for their active participation in the poll process resulting in shortage of blood in blood bank.
Though 20 units of blood are required per day to meet the demand of patients of thalassemia, anaemia, cancer and pregnant women, but hardly a total six units of blood could be made available.
One Bhabagrahi Swain and his wife Manjulata of Palakana village under Koro GP of Kendrapada are now worried as they failed to get the required group of blood for their 5-year-old Thalassemia affected son. Since last three days, they have been moving from pillar to post and knocking the door of District Blood Bank to get a unit of blood, but in vain.
“Our son's health condition has started deteriorating. The shortage of blood at the blood bank owes to the adverse impact of panchayat poll,"stated Manjulata Swain, the mother of 5 years old Thalassemia patient.
As per the affixed chart of stock position of blood in the blood bank of Kendrapada District Headquarters Hospital, by Friday two each units of A+ve and O +ve group of blood were available whereas one each unit of blood of B+ve and AB+ve were available too. But A-Ve, B-ve , O-ve and AB-ve groups of blood were not available.
According to the in-charge of blood bank, "The panchayat poll has made the thing worse. Neither any organizers are organizing blood camps, nor volunteers are coming to donate blood. As a result, there is shortage of blood."