Doctors say India needs lifelong blood donors, not just volunteers

Every two seconds, someone in India needs blood. It could be a mother during childbirth, a child battling cancer, or a young victim of a road accident. Yet, India continues to face a massive shortfall in blood availability, over 1 million units each year, despite hundreds of thousands of volunteers.

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Doctors are now urging for a more sustained and informed movement around blood donation, beyond token observances.

According to official data, India requires an average of 14.6 million units of blood annually, but supply falls short by nearly 1 million units, resulting in critical gaps in emergency care. Experts say that while blood donation is safe and simple, myths and lack of awareness continue to discourage voluntary donors, especially in rural areas.

“Blood donation is not just a noble act, it is essential, and irreplaceable. We treat patients with cancer, thalassemia, trauma injuries, and complicated surgeries every day. In many of these cases, timely blood transfusion is the only thing standing between life and death.” Dr. Harpreet Kaur, Head-Lab Services & Blood Centre, Aakash Healthcare.