Unsafe blood and unkept promises: Experts suggest mandatory NAT at all blood banks
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
"I wasn't recovering. After several tests, they told me I was HIV-positive. I suspect it came from a transfusion. If the blood was properly tested, maybe this wouldn't have happened," she said.
Now living with both thalassemia and HIV, she depends not only on regular transfusions, but also on antiretroviral treatment.
The woman's testimony at the roundtable on "Ensuring Safe Blood for All: Strengthening Blood Safety Practices", organised by the Thalassemia Patients Advocacy Group (TPAG) at India International Centre on Thursday, brought into sharp focus the urgent need to fix India's blood safety ecosystem.
Experts at the event called for comprehensive reforms — from mandatory nucleic acid testing (NAT) at all blood banks to boosting voluntary blood donation and patient participation in policymaking. NAT, which detects HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C during the early infection "window period", is far more effective than standard tests, but is not yet mandatory across India.
"Safe blood is not just about testing — it begins at the source," said Dr Sangeeta Pathak, secretary general of Indian Society of Blood Transfusion & Immunohematology (ISBTI) and head of Transfusion Medicine at Max Saket. "Voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation is key. Sri Lanka has achieved 100% voluntary donation. Why not India?"
She called on both professionals and the public to take ownership.
"We must talk about it, promote it, and strengthen the culture of safe, voluntary blood donation."
Anubha Taneja Mukherjee, member secretary, TPAG, reminded participants that blood safety is a matter of human rights. "This isn't just a technical issue. It's about dignity, equity, and the right to safe, life-saving interventions."
Public health advocate Prof Bejon Kumar Misra emphasised the need for transparency and accountability.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
"Safety is non-negotiable. People have a right to know what is being done — and what's not. Communication is critical. We need strategies that ensure no patient falls through the cracks."
P C Sen, senior Supreme Court advocate, reiterated the state's legal obligation to ensure access to pathogen-free blood. "It's not just a public health concern. It's constitutional."
BJP spokesperson Tuhin A Sinha assured the gathering of govt's commitment to stronger frameworks and cross-sector collaboration.
"This is not a single-agency issue. It requires everyone — govt, civil society and experts — coming together to strengthen the system," he said.
Prof N K Ganguly, former DG of ICMR, highlighted the need for investment in diagnostics, better regulation, and scaling up innovations.
The roundtable brought together perspectives from medicine, law, advocacy and governance, each viewing the issue through a different lens but advocating a unified message — that blood safety must be treated as foundational to India's healthcare transformation, not as a peripheral challenge.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
Rapid test kits for Hepatitis B, Sickle cell anemia to be available at PHCs, government decides
NEW DELHI: In a big move to ensure timely detection of common diseases like Hepatitis B, sickle cell anemia and syphilis at primary level, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has suggested that rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) to diagnose them should be available at rural health centres. This includes the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs Sub-Centres and primary health centres. Sources said the move follows feedback received from national programs and other subject experts, who highlighted the growing importance of providing rapid diagnostic tools at primary health facilities for early detection and treatment. Many RDTs available in the market have not been included for the want of robust evidence. Officials said these tests can be reconsidered for inclusion in the National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL) once the required data is comprehensively assessed and verified, the officials said. The ICMR, which is the apex health research agency, released the NEDL in 2019 to set basic standards for availability of diagnostic facilities at health facilities in the country. Recently, it has been updated to include RDTs and other requirements. For example, the 2019 NEDL had kept certain diagnostic tests under the "hub-and-spoke" model at primary health centres (PHCs). A hub and spoke model in a laboratory setting is a healthcare delivery strategy where a central, well-equipped "hub" laboratory provides specialized diagnostic services, while smaller, less equipped "spoke" laboratories handle routine and less complex testing, with samples often transferred between the two. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo However, the updated equipment list which was released recently suggests these tests should be available at the PHCs itself. This will do away with the need for sample transfer to hubs thereby making it possible to diagnose and treat a wider array of conditions at the lower level, the ICMR says. The updated NEDL also addresses the issue of new nomenclature of healthcare facilities with Sub-Centres now referred to as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. The revision of the National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL) was undertaken through extensive engagement with a wide range of stakeholders. The process began with an open call on the ICMR website inviting suggestions on the existing Essential Diagnostics List. This was followed by four rounds of consultations to discuss the suggestions received with the relevant experts and stakeholders. Subsequently, the draft revised list was deliberated with representatives from State NHM and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The final list incorporated the feedback and recommendations received in all consultations, officials said.
Indian Express
13 hours ago
- Indian Express
ICMR recommends tests for TB, hepatitis at PHCs: How will this improve public health?
From rapid diagnostic tests for Hepatitis B, point-of-care tests for thalassaemia and sickle cell disease, to sample collection for molecular testing for tuberculosis (TB) at the sub-centre level — the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has updated its National List of Essential Diagnostics with the aim of bringing clinical testing closer to people. The National List of Essential Diagnostics — first released in 2019 — is a list of all the tests that must be available at different levels of health facilities, such as sub-centres, primary health centres or district hospitals. One of the key changes in the second iteration of the list is the inclusion of several rapid diagnostic and biochemical tests at lower levels of health centres, keeping in mind the expanding infrastructure over the years. The government's healthcare delivery mechanism provides primary care through sub-centres, primary healthcare centres (PHCs) and community healthcare centres (CHCs), secondary care through sub-district hospitals, tertiary care through district hospitals and super-speciality care through medical colleges. Why was the list revised? 'In the six years since the first list was released, there have been significant changes. Take, for example, the government investing in semi-auto analyzers at the PHC level. This means the tests can be performed at the PHC itself, instead of the samples being sent to a higher centre for analysis in a hub-and-spoke model,' said Dr Kamini Walia, senior scientist at ICMR, who was behind the compilation of the list. 'There have also been changes to the Indian Public Health Standards and the Integrated Public Health Laboratory Standards, so it was a good idea to revisit the list,' she added What are the new tests in the 2025 list compared to the one released six years ago? Several rapid diagnostic tests that have been added include those for sickle cell anaemia, thalassaemia, Hepatitis B and syphilis at the sub-centre level. Many of these are priority diseases for the government. The new list also recommends collecting samples for dengue testing at the sub-centre level. Over the years, the spread of the mosquito-borne disease has expanded to all states of the country, making it a bigger public health challenge. Many of the blood tests — such as those to check for blood glucose levels, liver enzymes, and cholesterol — which could not be performed at the primary health centre level earlier, are now recommended at that level, with semi-auto analyzers (machines for conducting chemical and biological analysis of samples with minimal human intervention) becoming available. What do the new tests mean for public health? The updated list, once implemented, will have significant public health implications. Experts point out that the list has been updated keeping in view the ambitious targets set for specific diseases. For instance, the government runs a national mission aimed at eliminating sickle cell anaemia by 2047 by screening people and making them aware of whether they are carriers of the faulty gene. The mission also focusses on quick and accurate diagnosis of the disease and providing quality care to patients. The government runs the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme, which focusses on reducing cases and deaths due to the various hepatitis infections. How this is likely to enhance sample collection for critical diseases at the sub-centre level The 2025 list recommends collecting samples for molecular TB testing right from the sub-centre level. For sub-centres and primary health centres, it recommends collecting sputum samples and sending them to a higher centre. From the community health centre level onwards, it recommends performing these tests in-house. This has been made possible due to the penetration of cost-effective molecular testing machines even in smaller centres during the pandemic. The country's National TB Elimination Programme recommends that molecular diagnosis become the first line of testing, instead of the less sensitive microscopy. The burden of the pathogen has to be much higher for it to test positive using microscopy, meaning the use of molecular tests can detect many more cases, including asymptomatic ones. It can also determine if a person is resistant to commonly used medicines. . The list calls for samples for sophisticated tests — such as HbA1c, which shows average blood glucose levels over a period of three months — to be collected at the PHC level and sent to a higher centre. The government has been focusing on controlling and caring for people with lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer. At the CHC level, the new list has also added tests such as the TB skin test, which can detect the presence of the pathogen even in people who do not have an active infection. Dental X-rays have now been added at the CHC level. This is important, considering the government's goal of ensuring these tests are available at its centres. 'This list is important because it is implemented in the health centres under the Free Diagnostics Service Initiative, which ensures that these tests are available at all health centres and, in turn, reduces people's out-of-pocket expenditure on healthcare,' said Dr Walia. In addition, the 2025 list has also merged the diagnostic lists for sub-district hospitals and district hospitals. This is because sub-district hospitals are being upgraded to district hospitals, while district hospitals are being upgraded to the level of medical colleges across the country, Dr Walia explained.
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Time of India
Nurses' strike stalls health services at state-run hosps
Pune: Non-emergency admissions and planned surgeries, among other services, remained suspended at Sassoon General Hospital as the nurses' strike demanding equal pay and nursing allowance continued at 50 state-run health hubs in Maharashtra for the fourth day on Monday. The nurses have demanded a meeting with CM Devendra Fadnavis, health minister Prakash Abitkar and medical education minister Hasan Mushrif to secure a written assurance on their demands. The strike would only be called off once this assurance was provided, they said. Sumitra Tote, secretary of the Maharashtra State Nurses Association (MSNA), said: "We have been demanding a meeting with the three (Fadnavis, Abitkar and Mushrif) for a long time, but did not get an appointment. When our members tried to meet with the ministers, we were given only two minutes, that too unofficially." You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune TOI's calls to Mushrif and Abitkar remained unanswered till going to press. Latur-headquartered MSNA, which has 50,000 registered members, has been on a statewide agitation since July 18 (Friday) to protest persistent pay discrepancies under the 7th Pay Commission and the recent govt resolution regarding the contractual recruitment of nurses. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas Prices In Dubai Might Be More Affordable Than You Think Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Quote Undo Over the years, multiple committees continued to ignore the injustices done to ground workers, MSNA president Manisha Shinde said. "Despite Bakshi committee's part 2, assistant nursing superintendents, sister in-charges, clinical instructors and paediatric nurses in the health department were excluded in the revised pay scales for equivalent positions," she alleged. At Sassoon hospital, hospital staff confirmed of receiving instructions to discharge patients who no longer required hospitalisation. Arifa Shaikh, MSNA president (Pune Chapter) at BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospitals, said, "The workers, including nurses, are directly involved in patient care. They are in direct contact with HIV and TB patients, risking their own lives. Clinical instructors also play a crucial role in educating future nurses. " "Nurses now feel consistently neglected," Shaikh said, citing ongoing pay discrepancies as evidence of the neglect. "This disregard has fuelled demands for equal benefits," she added.
