Abstract
The present study on cost of a unit of blood was conducted in blood bank of a tertiary care public hospital with an annual collection of 20,748. A retrospective chart review was done to calculate the activity wise annual unit cost of blood, based on WHO guidelines (Blood Safety Unit. safe blood and blood products: costing blood transfusion services, World Health Organization, Geneva, 1998). Cost of blood collection, processing and storage were included. Annualized economic cost of equipments, maintenance, personnel salaries, and consumables were enlisted. It was assumed that all component units prepared carried equal cost. The cost of building, maintenance and office stationary were excluded. Data extracted from records was compiled and analysed using MS Excel. The annual unit cost of blood with component preparation and NAT testing was Rs 1829. Unit cost of blood without NAT testing was Rs 1255. Unit cost of blood if total collection was in-house, that is, excluding expenditure on camps was Rs 1738. The cost of whole blood (that is, if no components were prepared) with ELISA testing, done to ascertain cost at basic functioning was Rs 2521. With NAT testing the unit cost increased by Rs 575, the additional expenditure being equally divided among all components. Expenditure on NAT was high which was 1/3rd of the total expenditure on consumables. The additional cost incurred on each unit due to expenditure on camps was small i.e. only Rs 91 with 30% collection from camps. Voluntary camps ensures safe blood at minimal cost increment and component separation reduces cost and permits judicious use. Hence these activities should be promoted.