In the shocking case of illegal blood trade at Hardoi Medical College in Uttar Pradesh, yet again, patient safety and healthcare systems have been brought into focus.
Fake blood was sold to a patient with a desperate need for a blood transfusion to save his life for Rs 7,000.
Krishna Murari was on the hospital list for treatment. As he needed a blood transfusion immediately, relatives of Kaushal Kishore Mishra went hunting for a donor. “I could get a donor willing to give a unit for Rs 7,000,” Mishra said.
The family managed to get the blood into the medical college in a hurry. However, as it was late at night, the doctor on duty refused to take the transfusion.
The unit of blood was then kept in the hospital’s blood bank.
On the second day, when the family demanded blood for transfusion during a routine check-up by staff, this led to the shocking truth concerning the attached slip.
Whereas the attached slip was revealed to be a fake, the blood itself had a hemoglobin deficiency of such a severe amount that it would not even qualify for transfusion.
The quick response by blood bank staff ensured that a safe blood unit was provided to the patient from the hospital reserve.
Dr. Pawan Kumar, in charge of the blood bank, said, “The investigation has revealed tampering and manipulation of the blood unit.”
“This is an unfortunate incident. We will take immediate action against the people responsible,” said Dr. JK Verma, Chief Medical Superintendent of the hospital.
He said an FIR has been registered, and a detailed investigation is underway to expose the network involved in this dangerous racket.
