Behind the blood bank’s counter is a precise assembly line that has quietly saved millions of Indian lives. Here is the walkthrough, from both sides of the counter:
The donation side (the donor’s journey)
- Registration and ID check
- Private health screening (the questionnaire)
- Haemoglobin finger-prick + BP
- The 8-10 minute collection into a sterile single-use bag
- Bandage, refreshments, gratitude
What happens to your unit after you leave
- Testing — every single unit is screened for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis and malaria, and its group is confirmed by lab testing. Units that fail any test are destroyed; the donor is confidentially informed.
- Separation — most units are spun in a centrifuge into components: red cells, plasma, platelets (if the centre has separation). One donation can help up to three different patients.
- Storage — red cells at 2-6°C (up to 35-42 days), platelets at room temperature with constant agitation (only 5 days!), plasma frozen (up to a year).
- The shelf — tested, labelled units join the bank’s inventory, visible on e-RaktKosh.
The patient side (receiving blood)
- Doctor writes the requisition slip (component, group, units)
- Attendant submits slip + IDs at the bank counter
- Bank checks stock → if available, a unit is pulled from the shelf
- Crossmatch — patient’s blood sample is mixed with the unit to confirm literal compatibility (30-60 minutes)
- Issue + transport to the ward in a cold box
- Transfusion, monitored by the treating team
The two takeaways
Every unit is tested — no exceptions, no leaks. And platelets expire in 5 days — which is why platelet emergencies are the most urgent calls our network answers, and why regular donors matter more than any machine.