Guidelines for Setting Up Blood Storage Centres - NRHM Tripura

GUIDELINES
2. SUGGESTED QUANTITIES OF WHOLE BLOOD UNITS TO BE AVAILABLE AT A
BLOOD STORAGE UNITS
5 units each of A, B, O (Positive)
2 units of AB (Positive)
1 units each of A, B & O (Negative)
This can be modified according to the actual requirement.
3. STORAGE & TRANSPORTATION
depending on the type of blood bags used. The
Cold Chain :
Medical officer in-charge should ensure that
unused blood bags should be returned to the
It is necessary to maintain the cold chain at all
Mother Centre at least 10 days before the
levels i.e. from the mother centre to the blood
expiry of the blood and fresh blood obtained in
storage centre to the issue of blood. This can be
its place.
achieved by using insulated carrier boxes.
The blood storage centres are designed to
During transportation, the blood should be
ensure rapid and safe delivery of whole blood
properly packed into cold boxes surrounded
in an emergency. The detail of storage of
by the ice packs. Ice, if used should be clean
packed cells, fresh frozen plasma and platelets
and should not come in direct contact with the
concentrate, are therefore not given in these
blood bags.
guidelines. In case, however, these are
The blood should be kept in blood bank required to be stored, the storage procedures of
refrigerator at 4-6ºC ± 2ºC. The temperature of the mother blood bank should be followed.
the blood should be monitored continuously.
4. ISSUE OF BLOOD
Storage :
Patients' blood grouping and cross matching
The storage centre should check the condition
should invariably be carried out before issue of
of blood on receipt from the mother centre and
blood. A proper record of this should be kept.
also during the period of storage. The
responsibility of any problem arising from First In and First Out (FIFO) policy, whereby
storage, cross matching, issue and transfusion blood closer to expiry date is used first, should
will be of the storage centre. Any unit of blood be followed.
showing hemolysis, turbidity or change in
colour should not be taken on stock for 5. DISPOSAL
transfusion.
Since all the blood bags will already be tested
by the Mother Centre, disposal of empty blood
Due care should be taken to maintain sterility
bags should be done by landfill. Gloves should
of blood by keeping all storage areas clean.
be cut and put in bleach for at least one hour
The expiry of the blood is normally 35/42 days, and then disposed as normal waste.
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