Blood is the most meaningful gift you can give anyone, a lifeline at the time of dire need. From major accidents to patients with medical conditions like bleeding disorders, cancers, severe anaemia, pregnant women and Thalassemia, a blood transfusion can save lives.

But a World Health Organisation (WHO) report says that there is a shortage of 3 million units of blood against an annual demand of 12 million units. In such a situation, the quality of blood being transfused is, generally, not the prime focus. And this inadequate blood screening or unsafe transfusion procedure can result in life-saving blood becoming a conduit for life-threatening viral and bacterial infections, or ‘transfusion transmitted infections’ (TTI).

TTI can be life-threatening in an inherited blood disorder like thalassemia, where patients become severely anaemic due to excessive destruction of red blood cells and require a transfusion every few weeks. And this makes it critical to have stringent quality checks for safe blood transfusions, especially against the backdrop of a shortage in blood.

Safe blood transfusion and stringent quality checks are global worries and the WHO mandates high quality screening of all donated blood for infections, and compatibility to meet healthcare needs. Screening of all the blood donated is mandatory for the following infections to eliminate the risk to recipients of transfusion: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV) ,Treponema Pallidum (Syphilis) and Malaria parasites.

In fact, the use of an advanced procedure called Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAT) ensures the early detection of infectious viruses, particularly during the window period, thus considerably reducing the risk of TTIs.

The country needs the infrastructure to provide safe and adequate supplies of blood and blood products. And it is the responsibility of every stakeholder from technicians to donors to doctors to provide ‘safe blood’ to patients. It is important to realise the difference between mere blood transfusion and safe blood transfusion. Only a stringent quality system will ensure healthy and reliable blood supply in India.

So, how do you read the safety meter of the blood you are receiving? The first question you need to ask the medical practitioner is whether the blood transfusion is absolutely necessary for the patient. And if it is, you need to ensure that the institution gets the right blood — from the right donor, the right time, and from the right place.

Some other tips that need to be followed include monitoring the patient constantly during the transfusion. On occasions, blood transfusions can cause adverse reactions. Hence, it is important for a trained nurse or medical practitioner to be by the patient’s side during and after transfusion.

To ensure that the donor blood is good for transfusion, a short physical examination of the donor and a detailed one on his/her health, lifestyle, travel history, medical history and medication is required before each donation. You need to make sure that the institute/ hospital has a well-organized and coordinated blood transfusion service, and effective monitoring systems and mechanisms.

The responsibility for patient safety rests with everyone who is directly or indirectly involved with the blood transfusion process. And so it is essential for all blood banks to adopt a quality-oriented approach, supported by a continuous training and education for each of its staff members.

And though these pointers may seem simple and obvious, they need to be adhered to and implemented to ensure that a blood transfusion does not end up causing a life-threatening situation to a patient.

The writer is the head of Medical Affairs, Roche Diagnostics India. Views expressed are personal.

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