Home / Health / KEM Hospital's Blood Machine Failure Cripples Supply
KEM Hospital's Blood Machine Failure Cripples Supply
13 Jun
Summary
- A critical blood component machine at KEM Hospital has been defunct for months.
- Production of vital components like platelets and plasma has drastically decreased.
- Patients are facing increased costs and difficulty sourcing essential blood supplies.
A vital blood component processing machine at KEM Hospital in Mumbai has been non-operational for several months, severely impacting the hospital's ability to supply essential blood products. The machine is critical for preparing Random Donor Platelets (RDP), Single Donor Platelets (SDP), and Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP), which are crucial for patients with conditions like blood cancer, dengue, and trauma.
Production of these components has plummeted. In March 2026, KEM Hospital prepared hundreds of units of RDP and FFP. However, by May, production had ceased entirely. This shortage has forced the hospital to increasingly procure blood supplies from other government and private blood banks, with external procurement rising significantly in recent months.
The malfunctioning machine, reportedly 10-12 years old, is the root cause of the issue, despite sufficient staffing. Patients requiring regular transfusions are bearing the brunt, facing higher costs and logistical challenges in obtaining necessary blood components. Local representatives have raised concerns, and the hospital dean has assured that the machine will be repaired within days while a proposal for a new one is being prepared.
