Rajasthan govt revises blood donation guidelines, raises government share to 50%

Government blood centres will now collect 50% of blood units at voluntary donation camps in Rajasthan, up from 20%, under revised state guidelines.

The Rajasthan government has revised the guidelines governing voluntary blood donation camps, directing government blood centres to collect 50% of blood units at donation camps across the state instead of the earlier 20%.

The medical and health department issued a circular on Friday notifying the revised guidelines.

Principal secretary of medical and health departement Gayatri Rathore said that the new arrangement would reduce the need for blood replacement donations while improving the overall availability of blood across Rajasthan. She said the enhanced participation of government blood centres would ensure the timely availability of blood during emergencies, sparing patients’ families the burden of arranging donors at short notice.

Under the revised guidelines, government blood centres will deploy their medical teams to voluntary blood donation camps and undertake blood collection in compliance with the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The teams will carry the necessary medicines, equipment, and other medical supplies required for safe blood collection.

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The government has also introduced a new provision for camps held more than 200 kilometres from a government blood centre. In such cases, blood collection will be permitted only in single blood bags, a measure intended to maintain blood quality and ensure safe transportation over long distances.

Commissioner of food safety and drug control T. Shubhamangala said all medical officers in charge of blood centres have been directed to strictly implement the revised guidelines. Principals of government medical colleges and Chief Medical and Health Officers (CMHOs) have also been instructed to ensure that government blood centre teams attend voluntary blood donation camps in their respective jurisdictions and collect 50% of the blood units.

The department has warned that accountability will be fixed on the concerned blood centre if negligence is found in implementing the new system or if patients face shortages of blood when required. Officials said the revised policy is expected to increase the active involvement of government blood centres, improve monitoring and quality control of blood collection, and strengthen the availability of safe blood across the state.

Sachin Saini is Special Correspondent for Rajasthan. He covers politics, tourism, forest, home, panchayati raj and rural development, and development journalism.