Kerala’s private hospitals can now store blood; no fee for permits

Now the needy patients in Kerala can purchase blood from private hospitals also.

Private hospitals in Kerala will soon be able to store and supply blood meant for critical care patients, especially those in the rural areas.

So far, only public hospitals and a few co-operative and other private agencies Kerala were allowed to store blood.

The Kerala Drugs Control Department has decided to issue permits for Blood Storage Centres (BSCs) to private hospitals provided they have adequate facilities to run the units.

All hospital with facilities including an area of 10 square meters, separate air-conditioned room, blood bank refrigerator, technician and a blood bank medical officer can apply for  for the BSC permit.

To get permission for blood storage centres the hospitals have to mention the details of the blood banks which supply blood to them.

No fee will be charged along with application.

The blood storage centre licence will be valid for two years. The hospital can renew the permit again after the two-year period provided they continue to satisfy the requirements.
As a healthy initiative to support the private healthcare sector in the state,

Currently, Blood Storage permits are issued only for government hospitals, mainly district level hospitals and referral hospitals by the Central Drug Standards and Control Organization (CDSCO).

Blood storage permits to private hosptals are issued directly by the state and no clearance  from from CDSCO is required.The Kerala state health department has already given its consent for the new regulation to the department, reports said.

Currently, blood bank licences are issued after a joint inspection by the state and CDSCO officials.

The new procedure of state officials inspection will avoid the usual delay for joint inspection as officers from CDSCO Chennai need not have to visit each centre.

The government has taken the decision to issue BSC permits to private hospitals just because of the delay in getting licence for blood banks.

The health authorities have already issued the first permit to Dhanya Hospital at Potta in Chalakkudi to set up the storage centre after completing the inspection procedures.

Hundreds of applications from private hospitals- both big and small – seeking permission to store blood are reportedly reaching the concerned offices.

The inspection process will be soon carried out in the hospitals soon once the sort out work is over. The drug controller has already made arrangements for a speedy processing and issuance of permits, sources said quoting the state drug controller.

Applications seeking licence for blood banks are coming too. However, for opening a blood bank more facilities are required which include a building in an area of 100 square meters, with seven rooms, out of which two rooms should be air-conditioned.

Separate laboratories for testing infectious diseases and serology test are also required. The unit also needs Medical Examination room, Blood Collection room and Donor Waiting room.
Unlike, the the blood storage permit, the blood bank licences are issued for a period of five years.
Presently, Kerala has 156 licensed blood banks, out of which, 33 are in the government sector, 7 in the co-operative sector and the rest 116 are in the private sector.

The volume of blood collected in these blood collection centres every day is not sufficient to meet the requirements, according to reports.

Kerala state government has been working on the plan to expand the network of blood banks by providing blood storage facilities in the First Referral Units to make blood available in the rural areas.

The government has also plans to expand the project by establishing of Blood Storage Centres in the private hospitals.