The New Nation - Internet Edition

Barisal Correspondent

Declaration of closing Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College (SBMC) for indefinite period since last Monday following the death of a plumber by the students on last Sunday created problems in blood transfusion activities of the hospitals in the city.

The blood transfusion activities in the city were mainly operated by the voluntary organisations of the SBMC students and after closure of the institution they became bound to leave the campus closing their offices.

This has created golden opportunities for the professional blood sellers who are mainly drug addicted and infected by various diseases.

Dr. Mohaddes Hossain, director, Dr. Brindabon Biswas, Associate professor in charge of blood transfusion department of SBMCH, Dr. Abdul Khalek, Vice Principal in charge of SBMC, acknowledging the facts said that they one keeping contact with the organisers of those voluntary organisations to resume their regular activities for the sake of the patients.

SBMCH sources said average 1000 patients under treatment at 500-bed SBMCH and daily average 60 bags blood needed for transfusions to the patients. The other private hospitals and clinics of the city also have daily average demands of 20 bags of blood.

Juabair Al Hossain, President of Medicine Club, Chitta Ranjan Sinha Palash, president of Sandhani, and Md. Shohag, Secretary of Youth Red Crescent unit of SBMC said they have total 435 bags blood in their stock.

Medicine Club has 50 bags, Shandhani has 300 bags and Youth Red Crescent has 85 bags blood ready for transfusions to the patients and these blood could be preserved in their office refrigerators for 30 days under 2-4 degree Celsius temperature and for 10 days under 5 to 8 degree Celsius.

If the SBMC could not be opened within a short time then validity of using those bloods could be expired and not only that stocks would also be exhausted as collection of fresh blood could not be possible.

We could not operate our regular activities until the college would be opened and safety and security of the students would be ensured, said the voluntary blood transfusion activists. On Thursday 32 patients in 4 units of Surgery, 22 patients in gynaecology and labor ward and 6 patients in other wards were waiting for collecting blood from the transfusion center of the hospital. This number of demands may increase at any time in the case of emergency and accidents, they told.