Question : BLOOD BANKS

(a) the number of blood banks in public and private sector along with the provisions made in respect of capacity and storage of units of blood therein, State/UT-wise;

(b) whether the Government had set any target to set up at least one blood bank in the thirty-nine newly created districts with no blood banks, identified under the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP)-III for the period 2007—12;

(c) if so, whether the Government has achieved the said target;

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(e) the corrective measures taken/proposed by the Government for setting up of blood banks in each of the remaining districts and also four metro blood banks as centres of excellence in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai under NACP-IV?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI S. GANDHISELVAN)

(a) As per information received from Drug Controller General (India) there are 2545 licensed blood banks across the country. State/U.T.-wise list of number of licensed blood banks is given at Annexure - I

As per provisions made under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act-1940 in respect of capacity and storage of units of blood, all licensed blood banks require refrigerators for storing separately tested and untested blood, maintaining temperature between 2°-6°C with digital dial thermometer recording thermograph and alarm device with provisions for continuous power supply.

In blood component separation units, in addition to above equipment, deep freezer maintaining temperature between -30°C to -40°C and -75°C to - 80°C, platelet agitators with incubator (wherever necessary) are required.

(b) to (d) As per the assessment carried out during the planning of National AIDS Control Programme, Phase-III,39 districts in the country did not have a blood bank in the public sector. These 39 districts were taken up for support to set up blood banks by State Governments. 25 blood banks have started operation since then. The Government of India is supporting State Governments in establishing blood banks in the remaining 14 districts.

The State/UT wise list of 39 districts is enclosed at Annexure-II and 25 districts where blood banks have been established is enclosed at Annexure-III.

In 14 districts where District Level Blood Banks have not been established; four blood banks lack infrastructure, in five blood banks equipments installation is awaited, in one blood bank recruitment of manpower is awaited and four blood banks are awaiting license.

(e) The Proposal for Setting up of Metro Blood Banks was one of the approved activities under NACP- Phase III. At present the Design Project Report 2 for Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai has been approved and Design Project Report 1 for Delhi has been approved.