Shortage of safe blood supply in India, warns WHO

Shortage of safe blood supply in India, warns WHO
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

NEW DELHI, APRIL 6: `Southeast Asia, including India, faces a severe shortage of safe blood', the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned today.

"About 80 per cent of the global population, which lives in developing countries, has access to only 20 per cent of the global supply of safe blood," Dr Uton Muchtar Rafei, WHO's regional director for South-East Asia, told reporters on the eve of World Health Day being observed tomorrow.

WHO's theme this year is "Safe Blood Starts With Me - Blood Saves Lives".

He said the region's requirements are 15 million units each year. But only seven million units -- or just 9 per cent -- are collected, leaving behind a shortfall of 9 million units.

"India alone needs 7.5 million units each year, and faces a deficit of 3.5 million units", said Dr Geofrey Denis, head of the International Red Cross regional division.

According to WHO,if only one per cent of the population donates blood regularly, the requirements could be met.

Warning that the gap between demand and supply of blood is widening, Denis said a cause for concern is that 30 per cent of India's blood needs are met through commercial units. "This is a really dangerous situation," he said.

WHO experts warned that safety of transfused blood is a crucial issue as diseases transmitted through transfused blood such as HIV, and hepatitis B and C cause incalculable harm.

Of the 5.5 million people estimated to have HIV infection in the region, 5-10 per cent are due to transfusion.

Rafei stressed that nations can ensure the safety of transfused blood through effective National programmes and strict regulation of transfusion services.

Blood safety could be achieved through three principles- ensuring that all blood for transfusion is obtained through voluntary donors, strict screening of blood for all infections, and rational use of blood which minimises use of whole blood and encourages use of individual blood components according to the need.

"In India, an estimated 80-90 per cent of blood is used for transfusions, which could be reduced by using blood components, Dr Neelam Dhingra, medical officer with WHO's blood transfusion safety team, said.

"Whole blood is needed only for cases of acute amd massive blood loss, for example severe trauma, childbirth complications and surgery as well as blood disorders such as Thalassemia," he added.