Charitable blood centres’ licences not to be renewed

Hoshiarpur, May 22

The Central License Approving Authority of the Directorate General of Health Services, Government of India, has issued instructions to all licencing officers to not renew licences of the blood centres running outside of hospitals. Dr Ajay Bagga, Patron of Indian Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBTI), Punjab, termed this decision as unfortunate and ‘inhumane’.

He said, every month, due to prevailing blood shortage, these centres provide safe blood to patients, at low fees, admitted in government and private hospitals. He added charitable blood centres provide blood for children with thalassemia pro bono.

Dr Bagga added that with this decision of the government, only big hospitals run by the corporate sector will be able to run blood centres. He appealed to the Centre that the ban imposed on renewing the licences of blood centres running outside the hospital premises should be withdrawn in public interest.