Rewa Hospital Blood Bank Caste Row: Family Alleges Donor Was Refused, Administration Denies Claim and Cites Medical Reasons

A blood donor was allegedly refused permission to donate blood by the blood bank staff, with their officials reportedly asking the patient’s family to arrange donors from their community. The incident occurred on Tuesday, 22nd September 2026 at a government-run medical college, in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh. 

Supriya Vaishya was admitted to the Sanjay Gandhi Medical College, affiliated with Shyam Shah Medical College, in an unconscious state by her maternal uncle, Baijanth Vaishya, a resident of Bagad in Sidhi District. 

She required blood transfusion for an operation but there was no blood. “The doctors have asked for a unit of blood”, said Baijnath. 

He cannot donate blood to anyone as per the officials, Virendra Singh Vaishya, another maternal uncle of the patient claimed. Though  the reasons were not made clear.  

Around midnight, the family’s nephew offered to donate blood but he was informed that officials could not accept his blood because he is 17-years-old. 

Following the refusal, Virendra reached out to his friend from Rewa, Jitendra Kumar Pandey, asking him to donate blood instead. 

The family claimed that blood bank staff refused to  accept the blood from the uncle’s friend, allegedly citing caste differences. 

Jitendra Kumar Pandey said that although he did not know the patient personally, he had volunteered to donate blood because of his friendship with the maternal uncle. He claimed that staff refused to accept his donation, telling the family to bring either someone known to them or a donor from their own community. 

“You are Pandey Ji, that is why it won’t work. It has to be someone from your own community,” Virendra quoted the staff.  

Also Read : SC: UGC Needs “Teeth” to Enforce Action Against Caste Discrimination in Colleges

Blood Donation is a voluntary medical procedure in which a person has blood drawn to support a patient in need.  

Blood donations are the backbone of the modern healthcare system. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately tens of millions units of blood are donated every year globally but the accessibility remains uneven. Especially in low- and middle-income countries that face shortages, and even in high-income countries seasonal dips — holidays and flu season — can put pressure on the supplies. 

1. Red cells are often required for trauma and surgeries 

2. Platelets — which expire within 5-7 days — are required for transfusion for cancer and transplant patients.

3. Plasma is beneficial for burn victims and patients with clotting disorders.

Also Read : American Red Cross Declares Second-Ever National Blood Supply Crisis as Donations Hit Four-Year Summer Low

What are the requirements to donate blood In India?

The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and the National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) — key bodies under India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have set some strict guidelines for blood transfusion.

The donor should be between the age range of 18-65 years.

1. The donor should at least weigh 45 kilograms. 

2. 12.5 g/dL of minimum hemoglobin is required.

3. Normal temperature, pulse and blood pressure are required at the time of donation. 

4. The donor shouldn’t have any active infection, for example, fever or flu.

5. Donors with Hepatitis, syphilis, HIV infections are not considered for blood donation. 

6. Alcohol should be avoided for at least 24 hours before donating. 

What Are the Benefits of Donating Blood? 

Blood donation is not just an act of generosity that helps save lives but can offer some remarkable benefits to the donor: 

1. Regular blood donation may help decrease the viscosity (thickness) of the donor’s blood, as a result gradually reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

2. It can also help monitor iron levels — excessive iron in the body can lead to ailments like hemochromatosis.

3. Donating a pint of blood may burn up to 650 calories, thus helping in weight management. 

Lokesh Tripathi, Blood Bank In-Charge at the Shyam Shah Medical College’s Sanjay Gandhi Medical College, in Rewa, released an official video statement denying the viral claims. He emphasized that religion or caste is never a factor in blood donation or transfusion at the blood bank facility. 

Tripathi acknowledged that the allegations are serious and explained that upon looking into the matter, he found two people were brought for blood donation. One showed a slightly high-risk factor (/behavior), he can not disclose publicly due to the medical confidentiality guidelines. However, a senior doctor who spoke anonymous to The Hindu, revealed that this individual had consumed alcohol the previous night, making his blood  unsafe for donation.  

Another relative who volunteered to donate blood mentioned he has hernia and the doctor on duty explained that he could proceed with the donation only if he is not planning to get the hernia operated on, Tripathi added. 

He further noted that the hospital authorities have not yet been able to speak directly with the patient’s family,  suggesting there may have been a misunderstanding during the medical process. 

He appealed to the public to factually verify the viral news from reliable sources rather than blindly believing any unverified viral posts. 

(Rh/APC/MSM)