Question : Blood Banks

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) the estimated units of blood required and actually collected through various sources including Blood Donation camps during the last three years, State/UT-wise;

(b) whether the Government has noted significant shortage of blood as compared to actual requirement, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the Government has taken adequate initiative including promotion of voluntarily blood donation, linking of blood banks for efficient management and availability of blood and ensuring collection of rare blood groups and setting up of more Blood Banks under the Public-Private Partnership mode to check shortage of Blood across the country;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether the Government has implemented any monitoring mechanism to ensure quality services and a safer transfusion of blood in blood banks across the country, if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

(a): The estimated requirement of blood in the country is 10-12 Million units per annum. The annual collection through various sources including Blood Donation Camps during the last three years, State/UT-wise is placed at Annexure.

(b): No.

(c): Yes.


(d): Government under National AIDS Control Programme-IV is strengthening the programme for Blood Transfusion Services where efforts are directed towards promotion of voluntary non remunerative blood donation in partnership with NGOs and Voluntary organizations and through IEC activities, component separation, coordination and networking of blood transfusion services. The efforts are also directed towards streamlining blood collection and storage facilities in order to ensure optimum utilization of collected blood in the country.

(e): Yes, Government has implemented effective monitoring of blood banks to ensure quality service and a safer transfusion of blood in blood banks across the country.

Blood having been classified as a Drug, Blood Bank activities are regulated under Drugs & Cosmetics Act & Rules. Every Blood Bank is required to obtain/timely renewal of the license from DCG(I ) for operation under this Act & Rules, and follow the conditions of license for conduct of its activities.

During their operations, the functioning of Blood Bank is monitored by respective State Government through the office of Drug Controller by annual inspections and surprise visits to take cognizance of fulfilling regulatory requirements.

National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) and State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC), which were formed as per Supreme Court directive in 1996, are the apex bodies at National and State Level to form policies (National Level) and implementation of these policies at state level.

NBTC has constituted a ‘‘National Blood Transfusion Services Core Coordination Committee”, chaired by the Director General of Health Services, Govt. of India, (Member, NBTC) to review the functioning of blood banks in the country. This committee meets quarterly to review the status of blood transfusion services in the country and conduct annual/ surprise monitoring visits to blood banks. Similar State Transfusion Services Core Coordination Committees are set up in states to quarterly review the transfusion services in the State and make routine and surprise monitoring visits to blood banks.