Bokaro: The blood centre at Bokaro General Hospital has identified the extremely rare ‘Bombay’ blood group (Oh or HH) in a 24-year-old man during routine diagnostic screening, blood compatibility testing and specialised laboratory investigations, including cross-matching and antigen testing, BGH authorities said on Friday.Doctors said the Bombay blood group occurs in around 1 in every 4 million people globally, while in India its prevalence is estimated at around 1 in 10,000 individuals. The blood group was first identified by Dr Y M Bhende in Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1952, from which it derives its name.Officials said the blood centre has recorded the donor’s details in the hospital database. The information will enable doctors to quickly contact the donor in the event of an emergency requiring Bombay blood group transfusion.The hospital, operated by Bokaro Steel Plant, has also initiated screening of the donor’s family members, as the blood group is genetically inherited.A BGH doctor said that the three rarest blood types globally are Rh-null (’golden blood’), Bombay (Oh) phenotype and AB-negative. “Rarity is determined by the presence or absence of specific antigens on the surface of red blood cells,” he said.Chief of communications of BSL, Manikant Dhan, said, “As per our doctors, the Bombay blood group is unique because it lacks the H antigen, which is present even in individuals with O blood. As a result, people with the rare blood type can receive blood only from another donor with the same group. Transfusing O positive or O negative blood to such patients can trigger a severe and potentially fatal haemolytic transfusion reaction.”He said, “The successful identification is expected to strengthen emergency transfusion preparedness and further enhance the hospital’s reputation for delivering high-quality, life-saving healthcare services in the region.”
The BGH team who found the Bombay blood group in the patient
