NAT should be mandatory at all blood banks: Experts
But when she was hospitalised with dengue in Class VIII, doctors discovered something more alarming - she was diagnosed as HIV-positive. "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 entire 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. "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
.
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Time of India
15 hours ago
- Time of India
NAT should be mandatory at all blood banks: Experts
New Delhi: Diagnosed with thalassemia at the age of two, a 23-year-old woman depended on blood transfusions every three weeks to stay alive. But when she was hospitalised with dengue in Class VIII, doctors discovered something more alarming - she was diagnosed as HIV-positive. "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 entire 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. "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 .
New Indian Express
17 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Orissa HC seeks govt reply on delay in expanding NAT-PCR blood testing across state
CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has sought a detailed response from the state government after a contempt petition was filed by advocate Prabir Kumar Das over its alleged failure to implement nucleic acid testing polymerase chain reaction (NAT-PCR) blood testing facilities in all blood banks as promised. The division bench comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice MS Raman on Thursday directed the commissioner-cum-secretary of the Health and Family Welfare department to file an affidavit within two weeks, outlining the steps taken to fulfil the commitment made in court in November 2023. The matter has been posted for further hearing on August 4. The directive comes in response to a contempt petition filed by Das on April 2, 2025. In his plea, Das contended that the state government had wilfully violated the high court's order dated November 30, 2023, which required the establishment of advanced NAT-PCR testing facilities in all 56 blood collection centres of the state by the end of March 2025. The court order had followed Das' earlier PIL that highlighted the risks associated with blood transfusions using traditional ELISA-based screening. He had argued that the NAT-PCR technology allows for early detection of infections such as HIV 1 and 2, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C, thus ensuring safer transfusions. In its affidavit filed in response to the PIL in November 2023, the Health department had stated that 47 per cent of the blood collected in Odisha was being tested using NAT-PCR technology at 11 centres. The government had assured the court that it would expand the facility to all 56 blood centres at an estimated cost of `200 crore by March 2025. However, Das, appearing in person, submitted that information obtained through RTI queries from the directorate of Blood Safety (March 3, 2025) and the Health department (March 17, 2025) confirmed that only the original 11 centres were equipped with NAT-PCR, and no progress had been made in the remaining 45 centres. Calling the inaction a 'deliberate and wilful violation' of the court's order, Das urged the bench to initiate proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act against the commissioner-cum-secretary. The court, while not initiating contempt proceedings, has directed the official to respond with a status update in two weeks.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
File affidavit detailing NAT-PCR rollout in blood collection centres: HC to govt
1 2 Cuttack: Orissa High Court on Thursday directed the state's health and family welfare department to file an affidavit within two weeks detailing the steps taken to implement Nucleic Acid Testing Polymerase Chain Reaction (NAT-PCR) blood testing facilities in all govt-run blood collection centres. The directive came after a petition was filed by advocate Prabir Kumar Das. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice M S Raman passed the order while hearing the petition, which sought contempt proceedings against the commissioner-cum-secretary of the health and family welfare department for allegedly failing to comply with the court's earlier directive issued on Nov 30, 2023. The court had, at the time, disposed a PIL filed by Das calling for the introduction of advanced NAT-PCR testing in all blood banks, citing that the method allows for earlier detection of HIV 1 & 2, and Hepatitis B and C, compared to the traditional ELISA test. In its 2023 affidavit, the state govt had informed the court that 47% of the state's blood collections were already being tested via NAT-PCR at 11 centres and that it had decided, in principle, to extend the facility to the remaining 45 centres by March 2025 at a cost of Rs 200 crore. However, in his contempt plea filed on April 2 this year, Das submitted that information obtained via RTI from the directorate of blood Safety (on March 3) and the health department (on March 17) revealed that no progress had been made, and NAT-PCR testing remained limited to the same 11 centres. "The govt made a commitment before this court and failed to act on it. This amounts to a deliberate and wilful violation of the court's order," Das said before the bench, appearing in person. Taking note of the submissions, the bench asked the commissioner-cum-secretary to clarify what actions had been initiated since the court's directive and fixed the next hearing for Aug 4. In his original PIL, Das had highlighted the risks of transfusing infected blood due to the limitations of ELISA testing. He urged the court to ensure the implementation of NAT-PCR testing across all centres in a time-bound manner to ensure safer blood transfusion practices.
