As a healthy initiative to support the private healthcare sector in the state, the Kerala Drugs Control Department has decided to issue permits for Blood Storage Centres (BSCs) to private hospitals that have adequate facilities to run the units.

Till now, permit for BSCs were given only for government hospitals, mainly district level hospitals and referral hospitals. In issuing permit for BSCs to private hospitals, no involvement of CDSCO is required. It is entirely the state's decision.

According to sources, the State Health Department has already given its consent for the new regulation to the department. This decision of the drugs control administration will enable the private hospitals to provide immediate relief to the needy patients, especially those in the rural areas, it is learnt.

"To begin with, on completing the inspection procedures, the first permit was issued to Dhanya Hospital at Potta in Chalakkudi to set up the storage centre. Applications are pouring in to the offices of ADCs from major and minor hospitals across the state, and the process of inspection will be carried out in the hospitals soon after the sort out work is over. Arrangements have been made for a speedy issuance of permits," said M Geetha, the state drug controller.

For a hospital to apply for the BSC permit should have the facilities such as an area of 10 square meters, separate air-conditioned room, blood bank refrigerator, technician and a blood bank medical officer. In the application, the hospitals have to mention the details of the blood banks which supply blood to the storage centres. The permit has to be renewed after a period of two years. No amount is charged along with application.

The government has taken the decision to issue BSC permits to private hospitals just because of the delay in getting licence for blood banks. Blood bank licences are issued after a joint inspection by the state and central regulatory agencies. Since Kerala is under south zone CDSCO, officers from Chennai have to visit each centre along with state staffs that often delays the process.

In Kerala there are 156 licensed blood banks, out of which, 33 are in the government sector, 7 in the co-operative sector and the remaining 116 are in the private sector. According to sources, the volume of blood donated every day is not sufficient to meet the requirements. So the government has earlier decided 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 second step of expansion project is the establishment of Blood Storage Centres in the private hospitals.

However, the state department is getting applications for licences for Blood Banks also. 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. Further it should house separate laboratories for testing infectious diseases and serology test. The unit also needs Medical Examination room, Blood Collection room and Donor Waiting room. The license for opening up a blood bank is issued for five years.