The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, has released India’s first-ever National Guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Animal Blood Transfusion and Blood Banks. 

Need for the Guidelines

• Blood transfusion is globally recognized as a life-saving intervention, essential for managing trauma, severe anaemia, surgical blood loss, infectious diseases, and coagulation disorders in animals.
• Until now, India lacked a structured national framework for veterinary transfusion medicine, and most animal transfusions were done without standardized donor screening, blood typing, or storage protocols.

Key Highlights of the Guidelines & SOPs

• State-regulated veterinary blood banks with biosafety-compliant infrastructure.
• Mandatory blood typing and cross-matching to avoid incompatibility reactions.
• Donor eligibility norms covering health, vaccination, age, weight, and disease screening.
• Voluntary, non-remunerated donations with informed consent and a Donor Rights Charter.
• One Health integration to manage zoonotic disease risks.
• Standardized SOPs, forms, and checklists for donor registration, transfusion monitoring, and adverse reaction reporting.
• National Veterinary Blood Bank Network (N-VBBN): digital registries, real-time inventories, and emergency helpline.
• Training modules incorporated in BVSc & AH curriculum, PG programs, and Continuing Veterinary Education.
• Future-ready innovations: mobile blood collection units, cryopreservation for rare blood types, donor–recipient matching apps, and advanced transfusion research.

Significance

• Bridges a critical gap in India’s veterinary healthcare by providing structured, ethical, and scientific transfusion protocols.
• Strengthens animal welfare by ensuring safe, reliable blood transfusion for trauma, surgeries, infections, and anaemia.
• Supports rural livelihoods & food security: India has 537 million livestock and 125 million companion animals, with livestock contributing 5.5% to GDP and 30% to agricultural GDP.
• Aligns with global best practices, enhancing veterinary emergency care and biosafety.
• Dynamic framework: advisory, non-statutory, and evolving with scientific evidence and stakeholder feedback.
• Milestone for veterinary medicine in India, advancing clinical care, animal welfare, and public confidence in veterinary health systems

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