PATNA: Authorities at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on Wednesday purchased 3,000 malaria test kits to be used at its blood bank for blood processing.TOI on Wednesday carried a report that stored blood were lying useless at the PMCH blood bank for lack of processing because there had been no malaria test kit there since December 17. Five tests (malaria, HIV, hepatitis-B and C and VDRL) are mandatory before infusing the donated blood to someone. Even ELISA test is a must before infusing the blood to any recipient. PMCH had all the other test kits, except for malaria.Medical experts say the blood once donated has to be used within 35 days. In case of platelets, it can be used only within five days of donation.Officials said the PMCH blood bank problem occurred after its store manager was transferred to IGIMS. He incidentally took the key of the cupboard where the purchase register was kept. Hence, no item could be purchased.“We got the key from the store manager on Wednesday morning and immediately placed the order. For the time being, we have also given the charge of the store to another person,” PMCH chief medical officer O P Sinha told TOI.PMCH superintendent Dr Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said an emergency meeting was called in this regard with the chief medical officer and two deputy superintendents and the malaria kits were immediately purchased from the approved supplier. “We will also order 10,000 more such kits within ten days,” Dr Prasad said.Sinha said around 600 units of blood were lying unprocessed at the PMCH blood bank because of lack of malaria test kit. “Now, we will process 200 units of blood daily,” he said and added around 90 units of blood were required on daily basis on an average.

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