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India Aims for Blood Centre in Every District by December 2026

The Health Ministry reviewed India's blood transfusion services, noting that 10% of districts lack a blood centre. Dr Rakesh Gupta reiterated the national goal of establishing at least one blood centre in every district by December 2026. The review highlighted gaps in digital integration, licensing compliance, and voluntary blood donation rates. Priority actions include strengthening district-level ownership and scaling up voluntary donation campaigns.

Key Points: Govt Targets Blood Centre in Every District by Dec 2026

  • 10% of districts lack blood centres
  • National goal of one blood centre per district by Dec 2026
  • Review highlights gaps in digital integration and licensing
  • Priority actions include strengthening district ownership and voluntary donation
2 min read

Govt targets to establish 1 blood centre in every district by Dec 2026

India aims to establish a blood centre in every district by December 2026, addressing gaps in 10% of districts and boosting digital integration via eRaktKosh.

"ensuring timely access to safe blood in every district, with zero transfusion-transmitted infections - Dr Rakesh Gupta"

New Delhi, April 22

Approximately 10 per cent of districts in the country currently do not have a blood centre, underscoring the need for accelerated expansion of infrastructure, an official statement said on Wednesday.

Similarly, gaps remain in digital integration, with a significant number of blood centres yet to be onboarded on eRaktKosh and BBMS, limiting real-time visibility and monitoring, according to the outcomes of a national-level meeting convened by Health Ministry on India's blood transfusion services with states/UTs through video conference.

The review comprehensively assessed the status of blood transfusion services across the country, covering the five critical stages of service delivery: Licensing and Renewal; Donor Screening and Blood Collection; Testing for Transfusion-Transmitted Infections (TTIs) and referral/linkage of reactive donors; Processing, Storage and Issuance; and Reporting and Record-keeping.

Performance was evaluated against a structured framework of 10 key performance indicators (KPIs), using data from eRaktKosh, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), Blood Bank Management System (BBMS) and inspection records of regulatory authorities.

According to the ministry, the review highlighted both progress and key systemic gaps.

"While several states and Union Territories have demonstrated strong performance across multiple indicators, variability persists in areas such as district-level availability of blood centres, licensing compliance, voluntary blood donation rates, referral and linkage of TTI-reactive donors, component separation capacity and real-time digital reporting," the review found.

Dr Rakesh Gupta, Additional Secretary (Public Health), and Director General, National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), reiterated the national goal of ensuring timely access to safe blood in every district, with zero transfusion-transmitted infections.

He emphasised the milestone of establishing at least one blood centre in every district by December 2026, in line with the National Blood Policy.

The review also noted encouraging practices in several states and Union Territories, including high levels of voluntary blood donation, strong testing proficiency under External Quality Assessment Schemes (EQAS) and effective referral and linkage mechanisms for TTI-reactive donors.

A set of priority actions for the coming quarters was outlined.

These include strengthening district-level ownership and administrative convergence; ensuring 100 per cent licensing compliance of all operational blood centres; enforcing standard operating procedures for blood collection and donation camps; and scaling up voluntary blood donation through structured outreach and awareness campaigns.

The review further underscored the importance of strengthening referral and linkage systems to ensure that all donors identified with transfusion-transmitted infections are connected to appropriate care and treatment programmes.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Good initiative but I'm skeptical about the 2026 target. We've seen many deadlines slip in healthcare. The real challenge is getting quality blood banks with proper testing and storage, not just having a centre in name. Also, why are 10% districts still uncovered? Should have been done years ago.
S
Sarah B
Impressive that they're using eRaktKosh and KPIs to track progress. Digital integration is key for transparency. But I wonder how many of these blood centres will have proper refrigeration and backup power in rural areas. Hope the ministry also focuses on training staff for handling sensitive blood products.
R
Rohit P
The voluntary blood donation aspect is crucial. In many cities, we have good centres but donation rates are low due to myths and fear. The government should tie up with colleges, corporates, and religious places to organize regular camps. Also, need to address the stigma around blood donation among some communities. 🙏
M
Michael C
Good to see the focus on zero transfusion-transmitted infections. But the real test will be in states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar where infrastructure is weak. The referral linkage for TTI-reactive donors is a smart move - it can save lives by connecting them to treatment. Hope the states take ownership seriously.
K
Kavya N
I work in a small town hospital and the blood shortage is real. Sometimes patients' families have to arrange donors themselves. This plan to have a blood centre in every district is welcome, but what about emergency transport between districts? Not all villages can reach the district HQ quickly. Need mobile blood units too!

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