Blood transfusion practices in India: results of a national survey.
BACKGROUND: Blood transfusion may lead to serious clinical consequences for the recipient, if the transfused blood is not safe. To assess the functioning of the blood banks in India, a nation-wide, questionnaire-based study was conducted between November 1995 and November 1996 under the auspices of the Indian Association for Study of the Liver. METHODS: Of 604 blood banks in 31 states and union territories to whom the questionnaires were sent, responses wereobtained from 78 (13%) blood banks in 17 (54.8%) states, providing information on 275,000 donors. RESULTS: A majority (58%) of donors in these blood banks were replacement donors, followed by voluntary (39.3%) donors. About 87% of the respondent blood banks screen blood for hepatitis B, 95% for HIV, 94% for syphilis, 67% for malaria, and only 6% for hepatitis C. Marked heterogeneity in the test methods was observed with only 13% using ELISA kits for HBsAg. Only 21% of the blood banks prepare blood-derived components. Feedback to the blood banks on the occurrence of transfusion-associated hepatitis is given on less than 40% of occasions. CONCLUSIONS: Testing for transfusion-transmitted infections is unsatisfactory and poorly regulated in India. Reporting of adverse events after transfusion is poor and no stringent donor deferral system exists.