Why India needs 35 tankers of blood

according to an India Spend analysis of government data India is 35 tanker-trucks short of the blood it requires for medical procedures, yet some areas of the country wasted blood because there was too much of it,

The shortage was estimated at 1.1 million units — as blood is measured, with a unit being either 350 ml or 450 ml — in 2015-16, Minister for Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda told the Lok Sabha in July 2016. We converted these data into tankers, assuming a standard tanker-truck of 11,000 lt and a 350 ml unit.

In percentage terms, India is 9 per cent short of its needs — the shortage reducing from 17 per cent in 2013-2014.

Bihar is 84 per cent short of its blood requirements, more than any other state, followed by Chhattisgarh (66 per cent) and Arunachal Pradesh (64 per cent). Chandigarh had almost nine times the blood it needed, Delhi three times, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Mizoram, and Pondicherry twice, according to government data.

India has 2,708 blood banks, but 81 districts still lack one, according to government data. Chhattisgarh has the most districts without a blood bank (11), followed by Assam and Arunachal Pradesh (9).

Shortages may also be due to Rural areas find blood supplies harder to access, & there is no central collection agency, leaving the logistics of collecting blood to single blood banks and local governments.

Some areas may collect too much blood at the same time, instead of doing it at a constant run. So, a part of it will be wasted.”

“Since the need for blood is increasing, not least because the surgery field is improving and medical tourism is expanding, we need to spread awareness through the communities. And also need to create a culture of regular donations: giving blood every three months will increase blood supply as well as blood safety.”