Posted by Haagen P. Cumlet on Dec 19, 2011

Source: Indian Times, Dec. 2011

NEW DELHI: Voluntary blood donation rate in India has hit the 80% mark. National Aids Control Organization's (NACO) latest assessment says that 80% of estimated 10 million units of safe blood availability required for the country have been achieved through a network of 2, 609 blood banks - public, voluntary/trust, private hospitals and private standalone ones. And, about 80% is through voluntary blood donation.

The working group on AIDS control for the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17), starting from April 1, has suggested a new target: to achieve 90% of the annual requirement of blood exclusively through voluntary non-remunerated donation.