A comparative study of blood transfusion services before and during COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges faced: retrospective study done at a tertiary care hospital in North Western India

Abstract

Background: The aim of blood transfusion services is timely and uninterrupted supply of safe blood. SARS-COV-2 pandemic has created the major disruption worldwide at all levels of health care. Announcement of national lockdown by Government of India and Janta Curfew to control the spread of virus has affected blood bank services majorly. Monitoring of supply and demand was done to maintain sufficient blood stocks to support emergency needs. In this article we have compared the blood bank services provided in the year 2019 to how COVID-19 pandemic has affected blood transfusion services in 2020 with reference to blood collection, blood supply and organization of voluntary blood donation camps.Methods: A retrospective study was carried out in the department of Immunohematology and blood transfusion in a tertiary care hospital in North Western India. In this study blood collection and blood supply data was evaluated retrospectively for 2 years i.e. from January 2019 to December 2020.Results: Total 89948 blood components were supplied in the year 2019 and 55152 in the year 2020. Total blood collection was 51317 units in the year 2019 and 34151 units in 2020 from voluntary and replacement blood donors. Major decline in blood collection and blood supply was observed in the months of April and May.Conclusions: COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on blood donation and blood supply and thus adversely affected blood transfusion services.