Why in the news?

  • India releases first ever National guidelines/SOPs for animal blood transfusions and blood banks.

Blood Transfusion and Blood Banks for Animals in India

  • Blood Transfusion:
    • It is a globally recognised intervention to save the lives of animals and humans.
    • In animals, blood transfusion is essential for managing trauma,  surgical blood loss, infectious diseases and coagulation disorders in animals.
  • Need for the Guidelines:
    • Most animal transfusions are being performed in emergency situations, without any screening of the donor in a standardized protocol or blood typing.
    • For storage of blood also, lack of guidelines and standards created issues.
  • Nodal Ministry: The guidelines were issued by the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) under the  Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.
  • Key Features:
    • State-regulated veterinary blood banks with biosafety-compliant infrastructure.
    • Mandatory blood typing and crossmatching to minimize transfusion incompatibilities.
    • Clear donor eligibility criteria with considerations of health status, vaccination, age, weight, disease screening.
    • Voluntary, non-remunerated donations, backed by a Donor Rights Charter.
    • ‘One Health’ integration to manage zoonotic risks and broader health interplay between humans, animals & ecosystems.
    • Standardized tools like SOPs, forms, checklists for donor registration, transfusion monitoring, and adverse reaction reporting.
    • Vision for a National Veterinary Blood Bank Network (N-VBBN) including digital registries, real-time inventory tracking, and an emergency helpline.
    • Educational integration with training modules embedded in BVSc & AH curricula, postgraduate education, and continuing veterinary education.
    • Forward-looking innovations like support for mobile blood collection units, cryopreservation for rare blood types, donor-recipient matching apps, and advanced research in transfusion medicine.
  • Significance:
    • Emphasizing both standardization and safety in Animal husbandry and Veterinary fields.
    • Structured systems for donor selection and blood handling.
    • Technological integration through apps and digital registries.
    • Scaling through state-level implementation and educational embedding.