The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a stop activity order to the blood bank at The Cama & Albless Hospital after it was found functioning in the absence of a Blood Transfusion Officer (BTO).

The Cama & Albless Hospital at Fort. FILE PHOTO

“An official from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), a state government official and Dr Jayashree Sharma from KEM Hospital’s blood bank inspected Cama Hospital, and found that an FDA-approved BTO wasn’t present,” said ST Patil, joint commissioner (drugs), FDA. He also added that the blood bank looked unhygienic and paint peeled off from the walls. The order was passed at the CDSCO’s recommendation.

As per FDA norms, a BTO needs to be present at the blood bank 24x7 to monitor the cross-matching of blood and maintain records of bags of blood collected during blood donation camps. In the BTO’s absence, a hospital’s blood bank can provide blood transfusions to in-house patients, but it isn’t allowed to collect additional blood bags through camps or store new ones, explained an FDA official.