Patient’s family at loggerhead with federal medical centre over unused blood donated for patient

A patient’s relative, Wasiu Adejumo is at loggerhead with the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, alleging the management of the institution of seizure of blood donated for an expectant mother who was on admission in the hospital.

Penpushing reports that, the complainant said he and a family friend had earlier donated two pints of blood for the patient, Rachael Jinadu who was admitted at the Emergency Treatment Room(ETR) of the hospital on the request of the hospital authority.

The family said the patient carrying six month old pregnancy was involved in road crash along Ijebu-Ode-Abeokuta road, and rushed to the hospital, adding that following the development, the management demanded for blood donation to treat her.

Penpushing further reports that, Adejumo said he and the family friend, thereafter donated the blood needed, but unfortunately before the blood could be administered on the patient, she lost the pregnancy, as confirmed by the management, hence, the blood was not relevant for use of the patient.

The complainant said following this development, he resolved to convert the donated blood for another patient, who needed same, but said to his surprise the management denied him to offer the gesture, rather still demanded for new pints of blood from relative of the said patient

‘We paid necessary bills, and donated two pints of blood for her. I donated one pint, while my friend, Bashorun Olufemi also donated another one pint. Today, she is about to be discharged and we were told that our blood cannot be retrieved because it was not used’, he explained.

‘We have another patient that is in need of it but, we were not allowed to help the patient with our donated blood. I also got a letter from the Doctor in-charge of the first patient for retrieval, but we were not allow to help in saving the patient’, he fumed.

Penpushing also reports that, Adejumo said he considered the position of the management as callous and uncalled for, hence, his decision to petition, adding that his findings was shocking that the management again charged the patient, to pay N20,000 for the free blood offered her

‘We later found out that the second patient has been charged N20, 000 to get the blood we donated for free. Presently, we cannot collect our donated blood back, and we cannot use it to help another patient in need of it’, he lamented.

‘The other patient in need has no money and we really want to give ours for free, in order to help.  Please help sir because we don’t want our donated blood to be sold. We need our donated blood please’, the family petitioned

Penpushing reports that, in response to the allegation, the management in a statement by Head of Public Relations, Segun Orisajo declared that it is not in the policy of the hospital to return blood donated, even if such blood was not use

‘Please note that it is not in the policy of this hospital to return blood donated to any donor even if such donated blood was not used on the patient. It must be emphasized that  if every blood unit donated and not transfused was taken away by the donor then there would be no need for a blood bank to attend to accident victims and all other emergencies that need surgical or medical interventions sometimes at very odd hours’, he declared.

‘Blood  donated can only be requested for transfusion to a patient by a Doctor  who   signs for a loan as an interim at least in emergencies. No other person has authority to order for blood to any patient regardless of any human sympathy or compassionate ground as the complainant would want us to believe in this case’,Orisajo said.

‘The standard  practice is for the Doctor to request for a blood loan for  “another patient” There was no evidence that was done in this case. The hospital does not sell blood.  The N5000 charged per unit of blood is a highly subsidized value just for the scientific investigations carried out to ensure the blood is save for the recipient’, he explained.

‘You should also please note that the monies paid for screening the two units of blood can be refunded if applied for through HOD Finance. There is no blood bank service that currently costs N20, 000 .People donate and we charge for the cost of blood bag, bottles used, reagents for screening to ensure safety at a subsidised price of N5000’ Orisajo emphasised.

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