The two departments which affected the most are the neurology and the cardiotheraupic heart and lung departments, said sources. This crippling shortage even prompted a doctor to write to the hospital's blood bank in June saying it was not possible to carry out operations. The bank received the first letter on June 1 and a second letter by another doctor on June 21. A third doctor, is reported to have informed the hospital administration in June that if the situation did not improve, it will not be able to conduct operations.

Said one of the doctors, ``It was a big problem till about three weeks ago, and it has been very difficult to conduct operations. Someof the patients even had to be turned down.'' Emergency cases were being attended to, he added, and operations which could wait were put on hold. He, however, failed to understand why the hospital did not get blood from other hospitals or from the Federation of Bombay Blood Banks, which has 30 banks under its wing.

A senior doctor in the blood bank admitted to the shortage, and to receiving complaints from doctors that they were having difficulties conducting operations.

The shortage is being attributed to the `dry period' between April and June, during which donations are down to a trickle as regular and potential donors leave the city for the vacations. However, this temporary shortage doesn't affect operations, as hospitals make up for the shortfall by conducting donation drives or ask relatives to donate blood in cases where operations can wait.

However, KEM dean Dr R G Shirhatti denied any shortage. ``As of now, we do not have any problem,'' he said, adding that he had just taken over in June, andinformation on any shortage in April and May would be available with the former dean.

Assistant dean of the hospital Dr A V Rankhambe also denied any shortage, adding that there was only a shortfall in the supply of specific blood components of the rarer type. He however admitted that about 15 operations had been postponed on a average in the last three months.

``Doctors who conduct four operations every day complained that they could only conduct three operations due to shortage of specific blood componenets. But this cannot be called a major problem,'' Rankhambe told Express Newsline. None of the emergency operations were cancelled, he claimed.

Rankhambe added that this year, the blood collection during the dry period had slightly dropped from last year. In 1998, the bank collected 9,205 bottles of blood while this year, the collection was 8,951 bottles. In fact, the collection in May this was higher than last year, said Rankhambe.