BGS Global Hospitals has maintained a blood donor registry which accounts for a list of 100 rare blood group donors including the unusual Bombay Phenotype blood category. The key objective of the registry is to maintain a database of rare donors to check fatality with wrong blood groups.

On the occasion of World Blood Donors Day observed annually on June 14, the hospital is creating an awareness among medical professionals and the public on the rare blood donor list. It is also scouting for people with unusual blood groups to help patients during an emergency.

Recently, the hospital identified a donor with Bombay Phenotype Group who came forward to donate blood for his seven-year-old son admitted at BGS Global for a cardiac surgery and required blood transfusion. The blood group is prevalent only in 0.0004 per cent of the human population and is one of the rarest blood groups in India and globally. One in every 17,600 people in India or one in every 25,000 people globally has this blood group. The rare group is a result of genetic mutation and it can be common among family members.

The Department has installed the Total Automated Component Extractor T-Ace 11 (Teremo) which helps to implement a cent percent component therapy. All units of blood are leuko-reduced to prevent transfusion reactions in patients.

According to Dr. Annapurna Ramesh, head, department of transfusion medicine, BGS Global Hospitals, currently there are 179 people with Bombay Phenotype Blood Group in India. The recent donor takes the total to 180 under this category.

Bombay Phenotype Group could be easily mistaken for 'O' blood group and many times it is not identified at all if proper blood grouping or testing practices are not followed. Even in the case of this donor during the routine grouping it showed to be 'O' group. There was also no reaction to Anti-A and Anti-B antibodies. Only when reverse grouping was performed, it showed agglutination with 'O' cells which proved that it was a Bombay 'Oh' Phenotype blood Group. However, repeated blood tests have also confirmed the same.

Bombay Blood Group can donate and receive blood only among those with the same blood group. Therefore care needs to be taken during transfusion to avoid haemolytic reaction which can be fatal, she added.

BGS Global Hospital's Rare Blood Group Registry, instituted in December 2007, can help safe transfusion for rare blood types, stated Dr N K Venkataramana, vice-chairman, BGS Global Hospital.