Mumbai, June 29 (IANS). BJP MLC Chitra Wagh on Monday raised the issue of blood theft at Mumbai’s Sir JJ Metropolitan Government Blood Bank, financial irregularities and negligence of the health department through a ‘calling attention motion’ in the Legislative Council.
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 have been found guilty in the investigation. As a result, his services will be immediately terminated and a criminal case will be registered against him.
Raising the issue in the Legislative Council, BJP MLC Chitra Wagh said 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.
He alleged that this act was a direct theft of government blood and gross misuse of official machinery.
Further, he alleged that unauthorized concession was given to a private storage center by supplying blood at the rate of Rs 665 per bag, which allowed private entities to make profits ranging from Rs 760 to Rs 800 per bag.
He termed it as looting of the government treasury and demanded strict action against the concerned officials. Wagh also claimed that he has evidence that Dr Hitesh Pagare is the owner of the private Maya Blood Bank in Badlapur, where JJ has its staff, material and vehicles. Blood banks were being used.
He further alleged that despite being on forced leave, Dr Pagare unauthorizedly sought to purchase a freezer from a private company.
Wagh drew the government’s attention to several other irregularities, including absence of barcodes on donor cards, demand of money from underprivileged patients for blood, disruption in blood supply to thalassemia and sickle cell patients, lack of audit of blood banks in the last 10 years and absence of full-time officers in the State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC).
In his reply, Minister Bordikar told the House that in the preliminary investigation, Dr. Hitesh Pagare and Dr. Bhise have been found guilty 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 as per the guidelines of National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a QR code-based tracking system will be implemented for each blood bag.
Minister Bordikar further clarified that a coordination mechanism will be set up to monitor all the blood banks across the state. The licenses of blood banks violating the rules will be cancelled. At the same time, to bring more transparency, the government is also considering third party audit of all blood banks.
BJP MLC Shrikant Bhartiya claimed that 417 blood banks are currently functioning in the state and Maharashtra is collecting more blood than required. Under such circumstances, he questioned why discussions were going on about allowing additional 150 blood banks.
Responding to this, Minister Bordikar clarified that at present there is no proposal before the government to approve 150 new blood banks.
Other members of the House pointed out that such irregularities cannot be limited to JJ Hospital alone and demanded a state-wide inquiry to find out whether similar irregularities were taking place in other blood banks also.
Minister Bordikar assured the House that all blood banks in the State are regularly audited and special inspections will be conducted as required. He said that after the FIR is registered, if more serious revelations come to light during the investigation, more strict action will be taken.
–IANS
DK/DKP