No Licence, No Transfusion officer at Ludhiana Civil Hospital Blood Bank

Ludhiana: The Ludhiana Civil Hospital’s blood bank has come under scrutiny after it was revealed that it has been operating for the past three years without a valid licence and a designated Blood Transfusion Officer (BTO) — both mandatory under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The prolonged lapse has raised serious concerns about patient safety and administrative oversight. 

Currently, the blood bank is being run by two pathologists in the absence of a BTO. The lack of a BTO—who plays a vital role in ensuring safe and regulated blood transfusions—is more than just an administrative lapse; it poses a direct threat to public health. Legally, the BTO is responsible for overseeing the collection, testing, storage, and distribution of blood, and their signature is mandatory on all grouping and cross-matching reports.

To make matters worse, the blood bank has been operating without a valid licence for the past three years, casting serious doubts on the safety and legality of its operations. Further adding to the concerns, both mobile blood vans, intended for collecting blood from donation camps, have been lying non-functional, further highlighting the authorities' indifferent attitude.

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A BTO at a private hospital added that the presence of the BTO is a mandatory requirement for blood bank licensing and operation, ensuring the safe and effective handling of blood and blood products.

According to the Tribune India, the implications are grave. Without a BTO, there is no certified oversight of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs), no guarantee of compatibility testing between donor and recipient blood, and no assurance that blood components are stored and distributed under regulated conditions. The risk of contamination, mismatched transfusions, and untraceable donor records looms large. Moreover, the lack of a valid licence means the blood bank is operating outside the bounds of legal authorisation, added the BTO.

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