Karnataka drugs control department’s Mangalore circle is keeping a close watch on all 13 blood banks, apart from hospitals and nursing homes in the Dakshina Kannada district, to see whether they are adhering to the price list issued by the Karnataka State Blood Transfusion Council (KSBTC) for blood and its components. The move is a result of complaints from the public that there are blood banks engaged in taking higher charges and violating the approved fee list of the KSBTC.

The Council’s norms indicate that 350 ml whole blood is made available free of cost for the low social economic group at all government hospitals. This would also include patients accessing the facility for blood transfusion to treat thalassaemia, haemophilia and HIV. In the case of the general patients accessing government hospitals they would need to pay Rs.350 for whole blood. For patients in private hospitals, the charge is Rs.700.

In addition, there is also a service charge for blood components: packed red cells is Rs.600, fresh frozen plasma is Rs.400, platelet concentrate is Rs.400 and cryoprecipitate is Rs.200.

In order to ensure that there are no discrepancies in charges levied, Mangalore circle of the state drugs department has now alerted all blood banks in the district to ensure strict adherence to the norms on the price of blood.

Recently, it convened a meeting of all blood banks in the district because of the insistence of A B Ibrahim, the Deputy Commissioner, Dakshina Kannada district to caution about the action to be taken if the said pricing norm was deviated.

“The 13 blood banks were informed that in no way they should compel the people to donate or take a payment when they access the facility to source blood. Since blood donation is voluntary, the objective was to prevent such malpractices. Moreover, this is also part of the good administrative practices, Nagaraj K V, Assistant Drugs Controller, Mangalore circle, Karnataka drugs control department told Pharmabiz in a telecon.

In the wake of any violations related to pricing of blood, the state drugs control department could order an investigation and issue orders to stop drawing blood, he added.

In addition, the blood banks are also mandated to ensure that they put up the rates of blood units with the stock availability to enable those coming for blood during a medical emergency have a clear picture on the status, he said.

According to Raghurama Bhandary, drugs controller, government of Karnataka, the move by the Mangalore circle is good because the effort is for the benefit of the poor patient of any economic category.

Currently, in Dakshina Kannada district only Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) Blood Bank and Government Wenlock Hospital are permitted to organise the blood donation camps. Nagaraj indicated that all hospitals could collaborate with either IRCS Blood Bank or Government Wenlock Hospital blood bank to conduct blood donation camps as this requirement of blood was the lifeline in patient care.