Kolkata, Aug 19 (IANS) The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the West Bengal Health Department to complete, within a week, its ongoing probe against 11 private blood banks in the state accused of severe irregularities, including illegally selling blood and plasma to other states.
Earlier this month, the state Health Department had announced a ban on these 11 private banks from conducting blood donation camps anywhere in the state till further orders.
One of these 11 private banks approached the High Court challenging the order, and the matter came up for hearing before the single-judge bench of Justice Krishna Rao on Wednesday.
The single-judge bench did not interfere in the ongoing probe in the matter but set a timeline for the Health Department for the completion.
The Health Department launched its probe based on specific complaints against these 11 blood banks for collecting blood beyond permissible limits through blood donation camps and the unauthorised sale of blood and plasma collected from West Bengal in other states.
Several irregularities came to the notice of the Health Department officials in the probe, and subsequently, the restrictions were imposed on these blood banks, under the guidelines issued by the Blood Transfusion Council of the Health Department.
Later, on the basis of discussions and for practical reasons, the ban on the collection of blood by these blood banks was lifted, and the blood banks concerned were given some time to rectify past irregularities. However, the Health Department decided to continue with the probe in the matter.
–IANS
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