Blood transfusions are a lifeline for patients with blood disorders such as Thalassemia. But access to safe blood remains a challenge for people with such disorders.
With an estimated 42 million beta-thalassemia carriers worldwide, 1 in 8 thalassemia patients resides in India. Currently, over 1.5 lakh people are living with thalassemia major in India and the number is growing at an alarming rate. Despite being a preventable condition, over 10,000–15,000 children are born with thalassemia major every year.
Thalassemia patients depend on frequent blood transfusions for survival. Unfortunately, blood transfusion service in India is largely fragmented and lacks standardised norms covering all aspects of blood transfusions, including screening for transfusion-transmitted infections like HIV and HCV. To ensure safe and adequate blood, all activities related to blood collection, testing, processing, storage and distribution should be governed at the national level.
India requires 14.6 million blood units each year, according to the “Final Report on Estimation of Blood Requirement in India,” from the Union Health Ministry, but faces a blood deficit of around seven million units. This scarcity creates immense pressure on blood banks and challenges for patients suffering from thalassemia. Presently, 80 percent of the blood requirement is from replacement donors — individuals donating only when a family member or friend needs blood. Encouraging regular blood donation from healthy individuals through a national public education campaign is essential for reliable blood supply. Despite campaigns by blood banks and the Red Cross Society, people are reluctant to donate blood. Besides saving lives, donating blood improves the donor’s health by stimulating production of new blood cells and maintaining a healthy iron level.
Funding indigenous gene therapy research in India is also required for improving thalassemia treatment. Financial support is critical for wider adoption of Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT), an advanced blood testing method, in blood banks. The NAT technique boasts greater accuracy in detecting infections and enhancing blood safety. Furthermore, the need for a national blood law is imperative.
In the upcoming Union Budget, Centre needs to outline new measures to address these challenges. A concerted effort from the government, healthcare institutions, NGOs and the public is essential to create a robust blood transfusion system that prioritises safety and supports patients.
(The writer is Member-Secretary, Thalassemia Patients Advocacy Group. Views are personal.)