Blood Banking in India
Status: Completed
Topic Tags: blood banks, global surgery, composite index, trauma systems
SDG Tags: Good health and well-being
Scope: India
Sponsors: None
ASAR Members involved: Gaurav Urs, Padmavathy Krishna Kumar, Yash Kamath, Siddhesh Zadey
Summary
Blood banks play a crucial role in providing a steady supply of blood for various health needs, including emergencies, surgeries, and treating illnesses. However, many resource-limited areas face challenges in accessing clean and reliable stored blood, hindering basic healthcare. In countries like India, issues like insufficient blood volume and risky transfusions have been raised by global health organizations.
India has taken steps to address these challenges through the Indian National Blood Policy and the efforts of the National AIDS Control Organisation. However, the performance of blood banks varies globally, with disparities in donation rates between high- and low-income countries. In India, there is a lack of comprehensive studies on blood banking, focusing mainly on supply-demand issues and overlooking crucial aspects like regulation and infrastructure.
Research Aims
The study aims to systematically assess blood banking in India, considering safety, accreditation, ownership, infrastructure, regulation, and volume. The goal is to create a framework for monitoring and evaluating blood banks across different states and districts, aligning with global recommendations for improving blood banking practices.
Advocacy Aims
The findings suggest that allocating resources to improve performance in specific themes at particular locations can support localized policy-making and planning. This is essential for achieving universal health coverage in low- and middle-income countries, emphasizing the importance of ensuring a sufficient and safe blood supply.