Mumbai: In a renewed effort to improve the quality, safety, and accessibility of blood transfusion services, Mumbai and the state of Maharashtra have been selected for a third-party evaluation being conducted by the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW), New Delhi. The findings from this critical assessment are expected to play a pivotal role in identifying systemic gaps, strengthening infrastructure, and enhancing service delivery across the state.
Led by Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Professor and Nodal Officer (Admin), Department of Reproductive Biomedicine, a dedicated NIHFW team will visit various blood centres, hospitals, and related institutions across Maharashtra and Mumbai from late July through mid-August 2025. The review is part of a nationwide exercise under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s Blood Transfusion Services (BTS) framework.
395 Blood Centres in Maharashtra Under the Scanner
Maharashtra is home to over 395 operational blood centres, including 58 in Mumbai alone, spanning government-run, charitable, and private facilities. The evaluation will cover a sample of these centres to assess infrastructure, staff adequacy, operational practices, and compliance with national standards.
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NIHFW Team to Conduct Site Visits Across State
In a circular issued by Dr. Purushottam Puri, Assistant Director of the State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC), Mumbai, all concerned departments and institutions have been directed to extend full cooperation to the NIHFW teams. This includes facilitating access to documents, enabling interaction with key staff, and ensuring smooth site visits.
The review follows a formal communication dated July 15, 2025, from the Deputy Director General of Blood Transfusion Services, Directorate General of Health Services (NBTC/BTS Division), New Delhi, regarding the third-party evaluation being conducted in states including Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Assam, Maharashtra, and Mumbai.
The review follows a formal communication dated July 15, 2025, from the Deputy Director General of Blood Transfusion Services, Directorate General of Health Services (NBTC/BTS Division), New Delhi, regarding the third-party evaluation being conducted in states including Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Assam, Maharashtra, and Mumbai
Experts Express Doubt Over Long-Term Impact
However, the announcement has been met with skepticism by some in the public health sector. “A few months back, too, such an audit was ordered by the State Government. Nothing happened or changed. On the contrary, over the last few years, the condition of the government blood banks has worsened — in terms of poor or lesser collection (a downward trend), retired staff not being replaced, and the increasing privatisation of blood banks,” said a doctor attached to BMC Hospital, requesting anonymity.
