World Blood Donor Day 2017: Shocking facts on India’s illegal blood donation industry

On June 14 every year, countries all over the world come together to celebrate Blood Donor Day and to raise awareness about need for safe blood and blood products.

On this day, Moneycontrol takes a look at some of the existing facts regarding the illegal blood donation industry in India –

India’s illegal blood industry is worth Rs 300 crore which is growing every day.

Less blood, more demand

There is a huge shortage of blood in the country despite the large number of blood donation camps. People in the country are still in the dark about blood donation. Black market transactions and poor facilities are also contributing factors. As per a 2012 report by World Health organisation, only 9 million blood units are available annually whereas the demand is 12 million units.

 Blood sales 

Blood is illegally sold at higher price most of the time and not given to patients on the basis of critical medical conditions. It almost functions as an auction.

Plasma extraction 

A lack of mechanism for what happens to blood after it is donated leads to hospitals in place that extract plasma out of blood and sell it to the pharma companies, who in turn make pure profits running into crores of rupees.

The Black market can even pay donors for blood

Despite the sale of blood being illegal and getting money for donations as well, there are agents that can arrange for everything, for a few thousand rupees.

The Caste Taboo as a deterrent

The caste system in the country still continuing to prevail in several pockets make it difficult for the people from such background to come forward and donate blood.

Blood Farms

There are several donors from poor villages who are lured into blood farms with the promise of good money. But after some time, they are trapped, beaten and used as blood donors forcibly, sometimes giving over more than 12 times a month, rendering them too weak to fight back.

Blood Transfusions

There are several blood transfusions that happen directly, without any collecting or testing. This is especially true for the rural areas were patients  who cannot afford high cost take blood directly from a donor making them prone to diseases.

In 2013, two children with thalassemia died and 21 others were diagnosed with HIV after a single, unlicensed blood bank was found to be transfusing patients without testing in Junagadh, Gujarat, reported the Indian Journal of Medical Ethics.

Adulterated Blood

Blood samples have been found diluted with unfiltered water or saline solution. There are often an intricate networks of people who adulterate blood and have everything set up down to the last detail, including syringes, saline bottles, wrappers of registered hospitals and blood banks, stickers of blood groups, and other instruments used in drawing blood from donors.

Why is this happening ? 

Till today, India lacks a central blood collection agency, which is the prime reason for illegal blood donation. This continues to happen despite a 1996 Supreme Court ruling that banned paid donors and unlicensed blood banks.

Here are the official guidelines laid down by the Ministry of Health, Government of India that have to be followed by blood banks and organizations conducting blood donation camps- 

• Overall health- The donor must be fit and healthy, and should not be suffering from transmittable diseases.
• Age and weight- The donor must be 18–60 years old and should weigh a minimum of 50 kg.
• Pulse rate should be between 50 and 100 without irregularities.
• Hemoglobin level- A minimum of 12.5 g/dL.
• Blood Pressure Diastolic 50–100 mm Hg, Systolic: : 100–180 mm Hg.
• Body temperature - Should be normal, with an oral temperature not exceeding 37.5 °C.
• The time period between successive blood donations should be more than 3 months.

• A person who has been tested HIV positive.
• Individuals suffering from ailments like cardiac arrest, hypertension,  blood pressure, cancer, epilepsy, kidney ailments and diabetes.
• Individuals who have undergone immunization in the past 1 month.
• Individuals treated for rabies or received Hepatitis B vaccine in the past 6 months.
• A person who has consumed alcohol in the past 24 hours.
• Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Individuals who have undergone major dental procedures or general surgeries in the past 1 month.

It's #WorldBloodDonorDay.
Don’t wait until disaster strikes.
What can you do?#GiveBlood.
Give now.
Give often.https://t.co/wfmM9m56RM pic.twitter.com/6JUgY4V8V0

— WHO (@WHO) June 13, 2017

A single #blood donation can benefit several people. 5 things you need to do before you #donateblood #WorldBloodDonorDay #SwasthaBharat pic.twitter.com/9basGd5y1D

— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) June 14, 2017