Health activists of Jharkhand have hit the road against the decision of the Hemant Soren government to charge (processing) money for blood and have vowed to continue their agitation to pressurize the government to take back the order.
Activist Atul Gera who is leading a peaceful agitation said that they would continue their sit-in demonstration outside of the Raj Bhavan.
“We are telling the government that the decision to charge money for blood provided to beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat and other health insurance schemes undergoing treatment at private hospitals is wrong. This will adversely affect people. This is also unethical for the government to sell blood that people donate,” he said.
A large number of blood donors and members of the civil societies from various districts of Jharkhand have joined the sit-in demonstration. However, after tomorrow the activists will decide the next course of action.
On November 20, the AIDS Control Society of Jharkhand that comes under the health and family welfare department issued an order to pay for blood.
It stated that private hospitals taking blood for beneficiaries of the Ayushman Bharat and other health insurance schemes will have to pay to get blood from the government-run blood banks.
Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) even started charging money for providing blood.
The RIMS fixed Rs 1,050 as a processing charge per unit of blood given to any patient being treated at any private hospital. Besides this, RIMS charges Rs 300 for frozen fresh plasma and platelet concentrate, and Rs 200 for cryoprecipitate. The health department claimed the decision was taken to stop private hospitals from misusing the facility and resources of government blood banks.
“But this is far from reality. The department has the intention of something else. Now the government is creating confusion that changes have been withdrawn. This is far from reality. Now if private hospitals procure blood for any patient from the government blood bank, the private hospital will charge the patient,” said Gera.