01
Background
India experiences a shortage of blood in almost every state. Blood banking remains largely in private hands where profit is a major motive. To make matters worse, regulations enforced without an understanding of the ground reality created further hurdles. As a result, almost all states face a blood deficit ranging from 20–50% of demand — two state governments had to declare emergency, and one forced its police force to donate blood. This led to malpractices, profiteering, spurious supply, and blood given only on exchange, where a patient's family must donate for replacement.
02
Our experiment
We began an experiment in Gujarat, Western India. We called 30 private blood-bank owners and made them agree to co-operate in their own interest, explaining the real problems of supply & demand. Demand was mainly generated in four metropolitan cities with major hospitals, while blood was collected at various places across the state. Each blood bank had a problem either with demand or supply. We worked out the logistics and a demand–supply system that increased efficient availability — and in turn the “business” of the blood banks.
03
Networking
All blood banks were asked to co-operate and serve each donor of other blood banks. A donor of “X” blood bank needing blood anywhere in Gujarat received the same facilities as a member of the serving bank — free of charge and without replacement. Networking was elaborately defined and put in place, addressing accounting, blood quality and quality-assurance systems to the satisfaction of every participating member. Networking alone met 25–30% of the shortage, increased donor participation, and made rare blood groups easily available to every patient in the state.
04
Blood assurance scheme
Studying supply & demand patterns, we designed a statistical assurance scheme: if one family member donates blood once a year, the family of four is entitled to two units of blood for every one donated — totally free, with no testing or replacement charges and no replacement donation. Members can receive blood anywhere in the state where networked blood banks operate. The scheme was a grand success: for the first time in India's blood-banking history, Gujarat generated excess blood and offered it to neighbouring Maharashtra — without government assistance.
05
Other objectives
To create a knowledge bank and information warehouse on blood, transfusion and related management — covering blood safety & quality, utilisation, component production & storage, clinical haemotherapy, transfusion practices, regulations & standards, roles & responsibilities, transfusion-transmitted infections, donor selection & recruitment, and co-ordination among blood banks.