Question : Shortage of Blood

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

(a) whether the country faces shortage of approximately 3 million units blood as per World Health Organisation report and if so, the details thereof and reaction of the Government thereto;

(b) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to promote blood donation and the number of blood donation camps along with the details of rules, guidelines and regulations to organise these camps;

(c) whether the Government proposes to set up an integrated blood bank automation system for various blood donors, hospitals and other agencies and also start an e-blood bank and if so, the detail thereof;

(d) whether certain instances of black marketing of blood and running of unlicensed/illegal blood banks and blood storage centres have been reported in the country and if so, the details thereof, State/ UT-wise along with remedial measures taken in this regard; and

(e) whether the Government has allowed import of blood plasma required for treatment of liver diseases in view of acute shortage of human albumin serum and if so, the details thereof and if not the reasons therefor?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)
(a): No. World Health Organisation report to this effect has not been received by the Government.

(b): The Government. seeks to promote voluntary blood donation through IEC campaigns. In addition, financial assistance is provided to states for holding blood donation camps. Mobile blood donation buses and blood transportation vans with dedicated human resource have been provided to all States to help in this effort.

45966 Blood Donation Camps have been organized across India for the period of Apr-Sep 2016 and blood donation camps are organised as per the rules frame work and regulations under provisions of Drugs and Cosmetic Act 1940 and rules 1945there under and guidelines from NACO. An extract of the guidelines are at Annexure-I.



(c): National Blood Transfusion Council has enrolled all the licensed blood banks of the country on the National Health Portal where details including address, contact numbers etc are placed on public domain. A mobile application to locate the nearest blood banks is functional on android platform. This enables people to connect to blood banks and hospitals during emergency.

National Health Mission has initiated an e-raktkosh system which is an integrated Blood Bank Management Information System that addresses the issues from collection of blood to issuing of blood to the patients, the deficit of the collection of blood with respect to the requirement especially from voluntary blood donors and gaps in the process of effective management of blood services in the country.

In addition, states have developed e-blood bank initiative which are functional in Bihar, Odisha, , Karnataka, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh.

(d): A indicative statement as information collected from State Drug Licensing Authority and forwarded from Office of Drug Controller General (India) is at Annexure-II

(e): Yes. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization has granted Import Licenses to stake holders for Import of Human Blood Plasma, based upon their application from time to time, for fractionation into different blood products including Human Albumin.