Hyderabad: The demand for plasma is 70,000 vials per month in the country, but only half of it is being supplied as not enough blood banks are equipped to separate the blood component. The health sector requires a consistent supply of plasma for orthopaedic surgeries, transplant patients and for dengue patients.
According to recent estimates, the demand at the super specialty hospitals in the country is as high as 4 lakh litres of plasma per annum. But there are only 800 centres that are supplying it. The health ministry is planning to upgrade the services to 1,163 centres, but strict monitoring will be required.
According to an official of the drug control department, “vigilance is a must for these blood banks as the blood component has to be safe for use. Consistent checks are required.
Increasing the number of facilities will help the patients but at the same time monitoring has to be strengthened. Presently, the drug controllers are struggling due to lack of manpower and that requires to be stabilised to monitor these added establishments.”
Sources in the pharma sector said, “The shortage of plasma has been felt since the last two years and it is high time that the government takes steps to arrest the same. Also there is a need to set up State Blood Transfusion Councils which will have a database of availability of plasma and direct it to the required patients.”
Presently, plasma is available in the market at Rs 1,600 per litre and is given in packs to hospitals according to the requirements of the patients.
