Sion Hospital Blood Collections Drop 23 Percent, Threatening Thalassemia Patients
The civic-run Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, commonly known as Sion Hospital, in the Sion area of Mumbai is facing an acute blood shortage after blood collections dropped by 23 percent. The decline, recorded between January and June 2026, has raised severe concerns over the uninterrupted treatment of thousands of thalassemia patients who rely on regular transfusions, as well as the availability of blood for accident victims and emergency surgeries.
According to hospital data, the facility's blood bank collected only 6,817 units of blood and organized 67 donation camps in the first six months of 2026. This is less than half of the previous year's total collection, marking a significant downward trend.
In 2025, the blood bank collected 13,872 units through 158 camps, while thalassemia patients alone required 15,052 blood bags. In 2024, the hospital had collected 18,080 units through 164 camps and transfused 16,345 bags to thalassemia patients.
The ongoing shortage has already impacted families. Ashfaq K., whose daughter Arfa Attar has been undergoing blood cancer treatment at Sion Hospital for the past six months, stated that they had to purchase blood from outside due to non-availability at the hospital's blood bank, despite their poor financial condition.
Hospital officials and blood bank authorities attribute the decline to the fact that many of their regular blood donation camps are increasingly being conducted by private blood banks. This shift has heavily impacted the civic hospital's ability to maintain adequate blood stocks.
Data from previous years highlights the growing pressure on the facility. In 2023, the hospital collected 14,431 units through 153 camps and supplied 14,268 bags to thalassemia patients. In 2022, it collected 15,871 units through 146 camps, utilizing 12,638 bags for thalassemia treatment.
Sion Hospital is one of Maharashtra's largest centres for thalassemia treatment. The hospital administration is now expected to increase efforts to organize more donation drives and appeal to voluntary donors to support the civic blood bank.
