India now needs a multipronged strategy to meet its demand for safe, accessible, and timely blood transfusions which remains a pressing public health challenge, said Dr. Mrinalini Chaturvedi, Medical Director, Cryoviva Life Sciences.
The reality is that in India, where over 14.6 million units of blood are needed annually, the demand often outpaces supply especially during emergencies, disasters, or in regions with limited access to healthcare. In fact, according to the WHO, less than 1% of the Indian population donates blood each year, though just 1% participation would be enough to meet the country’s needs, she added.
Most people do not spend much time thinking about blood donation until it becomes personal. Maybe it is a loved one in surgery, a child undergoing cancer treatment, or a news headline about a national shortage in disaster situation. But behind that moment is a simple, generous act: someone, somewhere, took 30 minutes out of their day to donate blood. This single donation may be the reason someone is alive today. Therefore, blood and cord blood donation are more than just a bag of blood but is a lifeline, Dr Mrinalini told Pharmabiz.
The theme for the just concluded 2025 World Blood Donor Day on June 14 was ‘Give Blood, Give Hope: together we save lives’. It highlights how blood donation is not only a simple act of kindness that brings hope and healing to those in urgent need. Each blood donation can help up to three different patients. These may include a child undergoing chemotherapy, a trauma victim in the ER, or someone living with chronic anaemia, she said.
Similarly, cord blood donation which is the collection of stem cell-rich blood from the umbilical cord after childbirth holds life-saving potential. These are standard of care for over 80 life-threatening diseases, including leukaemia, lymphoma, thalassemia and immune disorders, etc., she noted.
Also cord blood stem cells have a major advantage over bone marrow as it does not need a perfect match. This is particularly important for patients from underrepresented or mixed ethnic backgrounds who often face significant challenges in finding a suitable donor. But despite its life-saving potential, many families are unaware about this opportunity. We must do better at bringing this conversation into antenatal counselling, discharge planning, and maternity care pathways, said Dr Mrinalini.
Behind every unit of donated blood or cord blood is a story. A teenager who finishes cancer treatment and goes back to school. A mother who survives postpartum haemorrhage. A father who gets another shot at life after a severe accident. Donors may never meet the people they help. But their act of generosity often marks the turning point in someone else’s life. The impact is real and far-reaching, she stated.
In India, we need about 14.6 million units of blood every year, yet we continue to fall short by nearly 1 million units a year. Just 1% of our population donating regularly would be enough to meet this demand. And yet, we have not quite gotten there. The story is similar with cord blood donation despite its potential to treat over 80 serious diseases, it remains a missed opportunity largely because families aren’t aware it’s even an option, said Dr Mrinalini. |