Question : AVAILABILITY OF BLOOD

(a) the estimated units of blood required and collected annually from various sources in the country, State/UT-wise;

(b) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to promote blood donation and collection to meet the shortage of blood in the country;

(c) the number of blood banks in the public and private sector for proper storage of blood along with the measures being taken by the Government to establish more number of blood banks in the country;

(d) whether certain instances of black marketing of blood and operation of a number of unlicensed/illegal blood banks and blood storage centres have been reported in the country, if so, the details thereof during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise; and

(e) the corrective measures being taken by the Government to put in place an effective monitoring mechanism to curb such activities and also to strea- mline the functioning of blood banks in the country?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK)

(a): The estimated requirement of blood in the country is 10-12 Million units per annum. The annual collection is 9.9 million in FY 2013-14 State/UT-wise list is placed at Annexure I.

(b): 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, coordi- nation and networking of blood transfusion services, so as to meet shortage, streamline blood collection and storage facilities in order to ensure optimum utilization of collected blood in the country.

(c): The list of blood banks is at Annexure II. The state governments have planned for set up of blood banks in districts without blood banks through support from National Health Mission.

(d): Yes. Details in annexure III as per information submitted by states and as per information submitted from DCG (I).

(e): There are two mechanisms for effective moni- toring of blood banks.

Blood having been classified as a Drug, Blood Bank activities are regulated under Drugs & Cosmetics Act& Rules there under. Every Blood Bank is re- quired 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 the 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 imp- lementation of these policies at state level.

NBTC has constituted a ‘‘National Blood Trans- fusion Services Core Coordination Committee”, chaired by the Director General of Health Ser- vices, Govt. of India, (Member, NBTC) to review the functioning of blood banks in the country. This committee is required to meet quarterly to review the state 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.