Archive · 26 Aug 2026
Maharashtra Orders Strict Compliance At Blood Centres After Inspections
Maharashtra has told all blood centres to follow safety rules very carefully.
These rules explain how blood should be collected, tested, stored and given to patients.
Centres must have suitable rooms, equipment and trained workers.
Each blood donation must be tested for several serious infections before it can be used.
Blood must also be kept at the right temperature.
Blood that may be unsafe must be kept separately.
Centres must label blood bags correctly and maintain detailed records.
The order followed inspections that found problems at two centres.
Centres that do not follow the rules could face legal or regulatory action.
The Maharashtra State Blood Transfusion Council directed all blood and blood storage centres to follow statutory requirements.
The order covers infrastructure, staffing, donor selection, testing, storage, labelling, records, quality control and waste management.
Every donated blood unit must be screened for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis and malaria before release.
Blood centres must maintain prescribed temperatures, uninterrupted cold chains and separate quarantine for reactive or suspected units.
The directive follows FDA inspections and earlier suspensions of two blood centres over handling, staffing, equipment and record-keeping deficiencies.
- Who
- The Maharashtra State Blood Transfusion Council and Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration directed blood centres and blood storage centres to comply.
- What
- A statewide compliance order requires centres to follow statutory rules for blood collection, testing, storage and distribution.
- When
- The communication was issued in the week before August 26, 2026; related centre suspensions occurred in June 2026.
- Where
- Across Maharashtra, including centres in Mumbai and Badlapur.
- Why
- FDA inspections found non-compliance involving blood handling, waste management, quality systems, equipment, staffing and records.
- Issuing bodies
- Maharashtra State Blood Transfusion Council and Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration
- Applicable rules
- Schedule F, Part XII-B of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945
- Mandatory screening
- HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis and malaria
- Storage requirement
- Prescribed temperatures, uninterrupted cold chain and quarantine of suspected or reactive units
- Portal reporting
- Daily updating of information on the e-RaktKosh portal
- Earlier suspensions
- Sir J.J. Metropolitan Blood Centre in Mumbai and Maya Blood Centre in Badlapur
- Possible consequences
- Regulatory and legal action for failure to meet statutory requirements