In order to broaden the scope of Haemovigilance Programme of India (HvPI) in the country which was earlier limited to report tranfusion reactions in blood recipients only, health ministry is now in the process of launching an online platform to also access and connect with blood donors as a part of its recently introduced National Donor Vigilance Programme (NBDVP).

The software to be developed on the lines of Haemovigil software meant to collect data related to blood transfusion reactions is done in collaboration with ministry of information and technology and National Institute of Biologicals (NIB) with support from National Informatics Centre (NIC).

HvPI at the national level was launched on December 10, 2012 by NIB functioning under the ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) to track adverse reactions associated with blood transfusion and blood product administration. NIB is the national co-ordinating centre (NCC) in 90 medical institutions within the country and has 207 centres under its umbrella including blood banks and medical institutions.

Launched in June 2015, NBDVP will complement HvPI which currently generates reports on blood recipient related adverse reaction through a Transfusion Reaction Reporting Form (TRRF). This is then linked via Haemovigil software to NIB.

In a similar manner, NBDVP will collect blood donor data from blood banks and medical institutions through a Blood Donor Adverse Reaction Reporting Form (BDARF). This will help us to come full circle with respect to reporting adverse reactions both in terms of blood donor and recipient and hence serve the larger purpose of blood safety through HvPI.

NBDVP was launched on 14 June, 2015 on World Blood Donor Day at Science City, Kolkata to improve donor safety and satisfaction through monitoring, analysing and researching adverse events. It will also help to analyse risk factors, implement and evaluate preventive measures, reduce frequency of adverse events  and increase donor frequency.

More than 2200 adverse reactions have been reported till date through a form called as Transfusion Reaction Reporting Format (TRRF) which is linked to the NIB through a software named Haemovigil at the national level. A standard practice in many countries, haemovigilance is aimed at keeping details pertaining to collection, investigation, its analysis and transfusion of blood or blood components. It also documents adverse reactions to recipients and the people handling the vital fluid.

NIB is an autonomous institution under the Union health ministry which ensures quality of biologicals and vaccines in the country available through domestic manufacturers or imports.

HvPI, which was launched at the national level by NIB aims to identify trends in adverse reactions and events, thereby to form transfusion policy, target areas for improvement in practice, stimulate research, raise awareness of transfusion hazards, give an early warning of new complications to improve safety of transfusion for patients.

Such information is also key to introduce required changes in the applicable policies, improve standards, systems and processes, assist in the formulation of guidelines, and increase the safety and quality of the entire process from donation to transfusion. It is a boon for hospital deans and directors, major blood users among the clinicians and blood bank officers from all government, municipal and private hospitals, drug regulators, officials from other government and municipal agencies.