Nearly 10 per cent of districts in the country still lack a functional blood centre, underlining deep and persistent inequities in access to safe blood, particularly in underserved and remote regions.
Even as the Government has set a target of ensuring at least one blood centre in every district by December 2026, in line with the National Blood Policy, the shortfall poses a serious public health concern.
The gaps were brought into sharp focus during a high-level review meeting convened by the Union Health Ministry to assess the preparedness of blood banks and transfusion services across States and Union Territories.
The meeting, chaired by Dr. Rakesh Gupta, Additional Secretary (Public Health), Union Health Ministry, and Director General of the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), acknowledged that despite progress in recent years, the absence of blood centres in several districts remains a major bottleneck, especially for patients requiring urgent transfusions due to trauma, childbirth complications, surgeries, or chronic illnesses.
In such regions, patients often have to travel long distances, losing precious time in critical situations.
The review highlighted that shortages are not limited to physical infrastructure alone. A significant number of blood centres are yet to be integrated into digital platforms such as eRaktKosh and Blood Bank Management System, restricting real-time tracking of blood availability. This lack of digital visibility makes it difficult to manage supply-demand mismatches and respond quickly during shortages, said the officials.
The government evaluated the performance of blood transfusion services across five key stages: licensing, donor screening and collection, testing for infections, storage and distribution, and reporting systems. Data was drawn from multiple sources, including the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation and national monitoring platforms.
While some States have shown strong performance in voluntary blood donation and quality testing, disparities persist across regions. Experts at the meeting pointed to inconsistent licensing compliance, limited component separation facilities, and weak referral systems for donors who test positive for transfusion-transmitted infections.
The officials acknowledged the shortage of blood banks at the district level is having a cascading effect. “Without adequate component separation units, whole blood is often used inefficiently, reducing its potential to benefit multiple patients. Moreover, the lack of storage and transport infrastructure further complicates access in remote areas,” noted the officials.
Health officials also stressed that voluntary blood donation remains the backbone of a stable supply system. However, donation rates vary widely across States, with some regions heavily dependent on replacement donors—a practice that experts say is less reliable and harder to sustain.
To bridge these gaps, the Centre has planned at least one fully functional blood centre in every district by 2026, in line with the National Blood Policy. This will be supported by a time-bound action plan, with monthly and quarterly reviews to track progress.
The plan also prioritises scaling up digital integration. Authorities have called for 100% onboarding of blood centres on eRaktKosh and BBMS, along with real-time data updates to improve transparency and coordination. The adoption of biometric donor identification under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission is also being promoted to enhance traceability and safety, added the officials.
Another key focus area that was deliberated at the meeting was on improving testing protocols. “States have been advised to transition to advanced screening technologies, such as fourth-generation ELISA and CLIA tests, to detect infections earlier and reduce the risk of contaminated transfusions,” said the officials.
Training and capacity-building of healthcare personnel is also being emphasised, as shortages of skilled staff continue to affect service quality in several regions.
The officials emphasised that unless these systemic issues are addressed, the gap between demand and supply could widen further, particularly with rising cases of trauma, surgeries, and chronic diseases that require regular transfusions.
