Tips On How To Start A Blood Bank Business In India

A Guide To Start A Blood Bank

There has been a significant improvement in the health status of the Indian population. According to statistics, more than 44,000 pints of blood are needed every day and it is expected that the everyday needs are adequately being catered to by the national blood supply. Globally, the market for blood banks as well as its products is expected by 2022 to have reached nearly $46 billion because of rising diseases. Below is a guide on how to start your own blood bank.

Licensing Policy and Legal framework

A blood bank centre must ensure that it has complied to the legal framework that has been provided in Drugs and Cosmetics Act/Rules published in The Gazette of India. It stipulates mandatory testing of blood for Blood transmissible Diseases, including HIV. The rules provide for adequate testing procedures, quality control, standard qualifications and experience for blood bank personnel, maintenance of complete and accurate records, etc. The Drugs Controller General (India) is the Central Licence Approving Authority whereas the regulatory control remains under the dual authority of the State and the Central Government.)The blood banks under the Act require a manufacturing licence.

Location

Deciding on the right location for your blood bank business is a crucial decision. You will need as many donors as possible to easily access your facility and donate blood for which will be distributed later to your intended customers. It is also important that your blood bank is not closely located to any unhygienic area. Ensure that your blood bank is located in an area that has a hospital or nursing home nearby and also has high traffic so that people are constantly reminded of your services.

Equipments

The equipments used by a blood bank vary depending on the services the blood bank offers, on the establishment and how busy its activities are. Basic equipment that are usually needed are blood bank refrigerators, Deep Freezers, Insulated Carrier boxes, Microscope and centrifuge, automated blood typing, blood container, bacteriological incubator, weighing device, Pasteur Pipette, Glass tubes, Glass Slides, Test Tubes, Rubber Teats, Gloves, Disposable rubber gloves, Blotting/tissue paper, temperature recorder,  BP apparatus, donor chair etc.

Training

Training of doctors and technicians should be carried out for 3 days in a state or central Government identified centre. These could be the blood banks at Medical Colleges, Regional Blood Banks, Indian Red Cross Blood Banks, or any other well setup, licensed Blood Bank, provided they have the necessary infrastructure for undertaking training. The Training will include:

- Pre-transfusion checking, i.e. patient identity and grouping

- Cross-matching

- Compatibility

- Problems in grouping and cross-matching

- Troubleshooting

- Issue of blood

- Transfusion Reactions and its management

- Disposal of Blood Bags

Storage & Transportation

The storage centre should check the condition of blood on receipt and also during the period of storage. The storage centre would be held responsible for any problem arising from storage, cross-matching, issue, and transfusion. Any unit of blood showing turbidity, hemolysis, or change in colour should not be taken on stock for transfusion. All storage areas should be kept clean to maintain sterility of blood. The blood storage centres are designed to ensure rapid and safe delivery in an emergency. The blood should be properly packed into cold boxes surrounded by the ice packs during transportation. If ice is being used, it should be clean and should not come in direct contact with the blood bags. The temperature of the blood should be monitored continuously. It should be kept in blood bank refrigerator at 4-6°C ± 2°C.