Government allows transfer from one blood bank to another

NEW DELHI: With the aim to better utilize blood and its components, the health ministry has allowed transfer of blood from one blood bank to another. The government has also fixed an exchange value of surplus plasma available at some blood banks in the country.

The move will ensure safe blood and enhanced access to blood products by patients requiring transfusion, especially in case of disease outbreaks like dengue that often lead to scarcity of blood and other components.

The health ministry’s decision was based on recommendations from the National Blood Transfusion Council, an apex body that formulates policy pertaining to the organization, operation, standards and training of a sustainable and safe blood transfusion service.

The ministry has prescribed detailed guidelines for proper and efficient transport of blood between banks. In the absence of the enabling provision, surplus plasma was traded or sold by the blood banks without any regulation.

Blood transfer from one blood bank to another was also not allowed earlier. This often led to blood going waste in one bank and not being available in another, even as patients or their family members were asked to shuttle between banks to source blood. The latest move will address the issue and help in transfer of blood to places of scarcity, an official said.

The ministry has fixed an exchange value of Rs 1,600 per litre of plasma. However, payment in cash is not allowed. Blood banks with surplus plasma can exchange it for consumables, equipment etc or plasma derived products, as per their need.

Fixing of exchange value is expected to increase the availability of essential life saving medicines like human albumin, immunoglobulins, clotting factors etc which are all derived from plasma. This step will also reduce the country’s dependence on import of these products.