Over 50 Karnataka blood banks have permit but not all offer plasma

There are 52 blood banks in Karnataka that have approval from the state drug controller to do plasma apheresis (in which the blood of a person is passed through an apparatus that separates plasma and returns the remainder of the blood for circulation) but not all are offering convalescent plasma for Covid-19 patients.

While some don't have enough donors to function as a bank that can give units to other hospitals since the demand is huge (for every unit of plasma donated, 25 Covid-19 patients are waiting to be transfused), others don't have a team to run the system.

"The bank needs to have blood bank officers who can contact donors, counsel them, and coordinate follow up. Every district requires a government-owned plasma bank," said Dr Vishal Rao, head of HCG hospital's plasma bank.

For example, Gulbarga district relies on two private banks for plasma. Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences doesn't even have an apheresis machine. Dr Rajashree Ingin, HOD, Pathology, GIMS, said, "For now, two private blood banks -- Medicare and Navajeevana -- are providing convalescent plasma to the Covid-19 patients who need it in the district. We are in the process of buying an aphaeresis machine."

Dr Sithalakshmi Subramanian, Professor and HOD, Transfusion Medicine, St John's Hospital said though they have all the facilities, since their patients haven't had a need for plasma, they haven't harvested plasma from recovered patients at the hospital.

Dr Ram Kaulgud, in-charge of plasma donation, at Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubbali, said, "The demand is huge. For every two units of plasma donated, we have 25 to 30 patients waiting for it. Four people who were administered plasma at our institute were within the ICMR's clinical trial. 27 other patients were given plasma outside of the trial. We don't have enough donations to give units to other hospitals or patients who approach us."

Dr Sreelatha R, HOD, Transfusion Medicine, Victoria Hospital, said, "Out of the 42 units of plasma harvested at Victoria Hospital, 33 patients in Victoria hospital were administered with it but the rest of the units were given to Bowring hospital, districts of Chamrajnagar, Hubbali, Dharwad, Narayana Health, Sakra Hospital, AGM hospital, Excel and Deepashree hospitals in Bengaluru."
She said while lack of dedicated 24/7 blood bank officers was one hurdle, "blood banks are not coming forward for plasma apheresis because they are apprehensive of the normal blood donation operations taking a hit. It requires a separate room and blood banks are not coming forward because of the stigma attached to Covid-19 patients. They think other blood donors won't visit the banks anymore if recovered Covid-19 patients donate plasma at the banks."

Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences in Ballari also has the apparatus but hasn't started plasma therapy. It's Director Dr B Devanand said that they have the plasma apheresis machine but haven't harvested plasma from any recovered Covid-19 patients, yet. ESI Hospital, Rajajinagar, also has an approval according to the state drug controller but the hospital sends its patients requiring plasma to other hospitals.