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India's Blood Supply: Tech Fights Hidden Dangers
14 Jun
Summary
- Advanced NAT screening could prevent over 61,000 infections annually.
- New technology may avert approximately 37,000 deaths yearly.
- Strengthening the blood supply chain is vital for patient safety.
Ensuring the safety and availability of blood remains a critical challenge for India's healthcare system. While voluntary donations have increased, gaps in forecasting, storage, and screening can compromise blood safety.
Transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) pose significant risks, with studies showing high rates among patients needing regular transfusions. Technology offers a solution; Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) can detect infections earlier than traditional tests.
Integrating NAT alongside current screening methods could prevent an estimated 61,598 TTIs annually and avert around 37,268 deaths. This intervention is not just technological but also economically prudent.
To create a resilient blood ecosystem, India must focus on nationwide adoption of advanced screening like NAT, strengthening the supply chain with digital tracking, standardizing protocols across all blood banks, building professional capacity, and enhancing data-driven oversight.
