The State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) of Maharashtra has decided that stern action would be taken against Hospitals that insist on a patient’s kin replacing blood units. Coercing kin and kith into donating blood has now become a booming business for many establishments as per the officials of healthcare sector. Therefore, the decision has been taken to prevent exploitation of patients’ relatives during medical emergencies. Hospitals frequently ask friends and relatives of a patient to donate blood to restore the units being utilised.
This is meant to be voluntary and free of any coercion or a hidden paid donation system. Forcing anyone into this is a violation of the National Blood Policy. The National Blood Policy, formulated in 2002, states that no hospital should depend on replacement donors and that the practice of replacement blood donation should be gradually phased out.…
