FPJ Impact: SBTC Orders Probe After KEM Hospital Fails To Provide 'Fresh Whole Blood' To Newborns

Mumbai: The State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) has taken cognizance of a Free Press Journal report on the non-availability of “Fresh Whole Blood” at K.E.M. Hospital, Parel. The council has directed hospital officials to conduct an inquiry and submit a factual statement with proper clarification.

Case Highlighted by FPJ

The Free Press Journal had published a report on August 11, 2025, titled ‘No fresh whole blood at KEM hosp, baby’s life at risk’. It highlighted the case of a newborn suffering from Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN), who received one unit of ‘O’ Positive fresh whole blood only after eight days. The unit was eventually sourced from Shatabdi BDBA Hospital, Kandivali, after KEM’s blood bank failed to arrange it.

Medical Risks of Delay

Doctors warned that any delay in transfusion could worsen jaundice and anemia in the newborn, and in severe cases lead to life-threatening complications such as hydrops fetalis.

Complaint by RTI Activist

Following the report, RTI activist Chetan Kothari lodged a complaint with SBTC, attaching a copy of the article. He criticized the hospital’s “laziness” in arranging blood and pointed out that in such emergencies, two options are available: preparing fresh whole blood by mixing red cells with plasma, or urgently calling one or two donors of the required group, testing them, and providing the blood within four hours. While this may carry minimal infection risk, experts argue it is far safer than withholding transfusion, which could result in death or permanent harm to the baby.

Allegations of Negligence

Activists have long alleged that negligence and administrative lethargy often lead to such lapses, even though newborns are a special case. Unlike adult patients who can receive packed cells, newborns require only fresh whole blood. Repeated instances at a premier government hospital, they argue, raise serious questions of accountability.

SBTC Directs KEM to Submit Clarification

Based on Kothari’s complaint, SBTC’s assistant director Dr. Purushottam Puri instructed KEM officials to conduct a probe and submit a factual clarification. The move comes amid widespread media attention, with SBTC stressing the need for an accurate and transparent account of the incident.

BMC Clarification on Blood Component Use

Meanwhile, after the report was published, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) also issued a clarification to this newspaper. It stated that, as per universal practice, donated whole blood is separated into components—red cells, platelets, and plasma—to maximize use.

However, in specific cases such as newborn transfusions, fresh whole blood is required without separation. The BMC further claimed that KEM’s blood bank has been proactively motivating donors to donate for such cases, and that a recent camp collected 900 units of blood.

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Concerns About Gaps Between Policy and Practice

Despite this, FPJ has come across at least three separate instances in the same period where newborns at KEM urgently required fresh whole blood, raising concerns about gaps between policy and practice.

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