Arranging blood is one of the few hospital tasks that falls entirely on the family, usually at the worst possible moment and usually with no preparation. The process is more organised than it looks from the outside, and knowing the order in which to do things saves hours.
Start with the treating hospital
Ask the duty doctor or the nursing station two questions: does this hospital have its own licensed blood bank, and which blood bank do they normally source from. Large hospitals often have one on the premises. Smaller ones have a standing arrangement with a nearby bank. This single question removes most of the searching.
Use the national directory
eRaktKosh is the Health Ministry system that lists licensed blood banks across the country along with contact details and reported stock. You can filter by state, district and blood group. Use it to build a shortlist of three or four numbers, then call them. Stock shown online lags reality, so the phone call is the step that matters.
Arrange replacement donors in parallel
Do not wait to be told. While one family member is calling blood banks, another should be lining up donors. Most banks will release units against replacement donation, and having donors ready is often faster than finding a bank that has spare stock of a specific group.
- Ask colleagues, neighbours and building groups — proximity matters more than blood group for replacement.
- Voluntary donor networks and local NGOs respond quickly to specific, verified requests.
- Send the patient name, hospital, blood group, number of units and a contact number in one message. Vague forwards get ignored.
What to carry
- The requisition slip from the treating doctor, with blood group and units
- Patient identification and hospital admission details
- Identification for each donor
- A cooler box if the hospital asks you to transport units — ask the bank how it must be carried
Rules worth knowing
Buying or selling blood is illegal in India. A licensed blood bank charges a regulated processing fee and issues a receipt. If anyone offers to sell you units directly, walk away and report it to the hospital administration. Blood from an unlicensed source is a serious risk to the patient, not a shortcut.
One thing to do before you need it
Note down the two nearest licensed blood banks to your home and to your usual hospital, with phone numbers, and keep them where a family member can find them. Every hour spent searching during an emergency is an hour that was avoidable.
