Gujarat FDCA Serves Notices to Blood Banks for Dispatching Unsafe Blood

AHMEDABAD:
In a major crackdown on blood banks in the state, the Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) has served show cause notices to five blood banks for dispatching unsafe blood to government hospitals. There were 17 inspections carried out across Gujarat at Ahmedabad, Banaskantha, Porbandar and Amreli.
Among the 17 inspections carried out, 12 were joint inspections conducted in association with Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
“Inspections done in five blood banks out of the 17 blood banks revealed critical points in the compliance report submitted and would be reverified based on a re-inspection. It was revealed that the banks did not suitably test the blood samples and were found reactive in nature,” informed Gujarat FDCA Commissioner Dr H G Koshia.
The blood banks have been issued a stop activity notice and government hospitals have been followed up with by the drug regulator for any untoward incident of adverse reaction, he added.
Schedule ‘F’, Part XII-B and/or XII-C of Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 requires that the blood banks shall provide adequate space, plant and equipment for any or all the operations of blood collection or blood processing. It also mandates to provide and maintain adequate technical staff as specified in the law.
As per the Rules, a 24/7 blood bank is required to have at least three blood transfusion officers (BTOs) working in shifts. It is also mandatory that collecting and transfusing of blood and its components, such as plasma, white blood cells etc, be done in the presence of a BTO to avoid any error.
The state has 145 blood banks and 134 blood storage centres. In order to ensure consistent and safe blood to the patients, the state regulator has also rolled out a series of campaigns to sensitise blood donors and recipients to strengthen haemovigilance in the state.