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India requires 14.6 million blood units every year: Health ministry

1 min read 14 Jun 2023, 04:21 PM IST Priyanka Sharma

Baghel called for dispelling misconceptions that dissuade potential donors, particularly the erroneous belief that donating blood causes weakness.

India consistently faces a shortfall of 1 million units.

New Delhi: On World Blood Donors Day, the health ministry drew attention to the country’s high demand for blood transfusions, which currently occurs every two seconds. The country requires an annual average of 14.6 million blood units, and consistently faces a shortfall of 1 million units. To address this critical issue, the ministry has initiated the “Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav" campaign, a series of blood donation activities.

S P Baghel, minister of state for health, inaugurating a blood donation camp at RML Hospital in New Delhi, encouraged citizens to contribute to this noble cause, referencing it as an act of “Seva and Sahyog", integral parts of the country’s rich culture and tradition.

This year’s World Blood Donor Day campaign theme: ‘Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often’, emphasises the ongoing need for blood in the care of patients who require regular, lifelong transfusions. It underscores the profound difference individuals can make by donating their blood or plasma.

Baghel highlighted that despite technological strides in medicine, there is no alternative to blood. The transfusion of a single blood unit has the potential to save up to three lives. He also called for dispelling misconceptions that dissuade potential donors, particularly the erroneous belief that donating blood causes weakness.

The national donation drive is bolstered by a centralized blood bank management system named E-Rakt Kosh portal. This system serves as a comprehensive database of blood donors, ensuring efficient record-keeping and expediting blood supply in times of need.

Since its launch in January 2022, the E-Rakt Kosh portal has seen over 1.76 million people register as donors, collecting over 1.61 million units of blood, highlighting the nation’s commitment to addressing the blood shortage.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Priyanka Sharma

Priyanka Shamra is a health and pharma journalist with nearly nine years of field reporting experience. She is a special correspondent with Mint. Her beat includes covering the Ministry of Health and Department of Pharmaceuticals. She also covers the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Department of Biotechnology.