Mumbai, June 29 (IANS) The issue of alleged blood theft, financial malpractice and negligence by the Health Department at the Sir J.J. Metropolitan Government Blood Bank in Mumbai was raised in the Legislative Council on Monday through a calling attention motion moved by BJP MLC Chitra Wagh.

Responding to the motion, Minister of State for Public Health Meghna Bordikar announced in the House that Blood Bank Chief Dr Hitesh Pagare and Medical Social Officer Bhise were found guilty in the inquiry. Consequently, their services will be terminated immediately, and criminal cases will be registered against them.

Raising the issue in the Legislative Council, BJP MLC Chitra Wagh stated that out of 128 blood bags collected during a blood donation camp in Chinchpokli, 55 bags were sent to Maya Blood Bank in Badlapur without any prior permission or official record.

She alleged that this act amounted to direct theft of government blood and a gross misuse of official machinery.

Furthermore, she alleged that a private storage centre was given an unauthorised concession, supplying blood at a rate of Rs 665 per bag, which allowed private entities to reap profits ranging from Rs 760 to Rs 800 per bag.

Terming this as a plunder of the state exchequer, she demanded strict action against the concerned officials.

Wagh also claimed to possess evidence showing that Dr Hitesh Pagare owns the private Maya Blood Bank in Badlapur, where staff, materials and vehicles from the J.J. Blood Bank were being utilised.

She further alleged that despite being on forced leave, Dr Pagare unauthorisedly demanded the purchase of freezers from a private company.

Wagh drew the government’s attention to several other irregularities, including the absence of barcodes on donor cards, demands for money from underprivileged patients for blood, disruptions in blood supply to thalassaemia and sickle cell patients, the lack of an audit of the blood bank over the last 10 years, and the absence of full-time officers in the State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC).

In her reply, Minister Bordikar informed the House that Dr Hitesh Pagare and Dr Bhise were found guilty in the preliminary probe, and their services are being terminated with immediate effect.

Criminal cases will also be registered against them.

Additionally, a full-time post of Assistant Director will be created for the blood bank.

To ensure transparent tracking of blood bags, a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be developed in accordance with the guidelines of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and a QR code-based tracking system will be implemented for every blood bag.

Minister Bordikar further clarified that a coordination mechanism will be set up to monitor all blood banks across the state.

The licences of blood banks violating regulations will be revoked.

To bring greater transparency, the government is also considering a third-party audit of all blood banks.

BJP MLC Shrikant Bharatiya claimed that there are currently 417 operational blood banks in the state and that Maharashtra is collecting more blood than required.

Under such circumstances, he questioned why there were ongoing discussions about permitting an additional 150 blood banks.

Responding to this, Minister Bordikar clarified that there is no proposal currently before the government to approve 150 new blood banks.

Other members of the House pointed out that such malpractices might not be limited to JJ Hospital alone and demanded a statewide investigation to ascertain whether similar irregularities are occurring in other blood banks.

Minister Bordikar assured the House that regular audits of all blood banks in the state are conducted and that special inspections will be carried out as required.

She added that if more serious revelations come to light during the investigation after the FIR is registered, even stricter action will be taken.

–IANS

sj/pgh