Centre issues new guidelines for transfusion of animal blood

The Union Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying has recently issued the guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for blood transfusion and blood banks for animals in the country.

Establishment of State-regulated veterinary blood banks with biosafety standards and mandatory blood typing and cross-matching to prevent incompatibility are the key highlights of the guidelines.

Ethical framework

The document will also have donor eligibility norms (age, weight, vaccination, disease screening, intervals) and an ethical framework emphasising voluntary, non-remunerated donations and informed consent. The SOPs for transfusion monitoring, adverse reaction management, and record-keeping are part of the guidelines. The document introduces a National Veterinary Blood Bank Network (N-VBBN) with digital registries and real-time inventory.

The Department said animals will be the largest beneficiaries of the guidelines as they will get safer, life-saving transfusion support in emergencies and critical care. Veterinarians will have structured protocols and reference material for clinical practice and farmers will get healthier livestock, reduced mortality, and protection of livelihoods, the government said adding that the society will have improved animal welfare and stronger food security.

The Centre said that until now, India lacked a comprehensive national framework for veterinary transfusion medicine. “Most animal transfusions were performed in emergencies, without standardised donor screening, blood typing or storage protocols,” it said.

The guidelines will integrate ‘One Health’ principles to manage zoonotic risks. “Looking ahead, these guidelines encourage innovation through mobile blood collection units, cryopreservation for rare blood types, mobile applications for donor-recipient matching, and advanced transfusion research,” the Ministry said.