The Council, which was jointly set up by the State Public Health and Medical Education departments recently, aims at preventing illegal trading of blood. The Council also focuses on the safe transfusion of uninfected blood, especially to curb increasing instances of AIDS. The Council monitors work and quality norms of operation at blood banks in Maharashtra.

In a recent meeting held at Mantralaya to prepare plans for the National Blood Donation Day which falls on October 1, Medical Education secretary T C Benjamin has warned erring blood bank operators of stringent action on failing to get registered with the Council.

There are a total of 225 blood banks operational statewide, out of which 144 are private. A total of 210 blood banks only have registered themselves with the Council andthe rest of them are operating without abiding the prevailing rules. The Government has amended the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, to empower the Council to initiate punitive action against erring blood banks.

Hospitals in Maharashtra require a total of 9 lakh blood bags every year. However, only 5 lakh blood bags are available at the blood banks and a shortfall of 4 lakh is created annually. This results in growth of professional blood donors, who charge exorbitant prices for the blood they donate to needy patients.