Blood banks gasp for oxygen, India sees shortage of 1.9 mn units in 2016-17

India collected 11.1 million units of blood in 2016-17, meeting 85% of its 13 million units target based on World Health Organization (WHO) norms

India fell short of 1.9 million units of blood in 2016-17–equivalent to 60 tankers–that could have aided more than 320,000 heart surgeries or 49,000 organ transplants, according to official data.

This is an increase from a shortage of 1.1 million units or 35 tankers in 2015-16, when India had fallen 9% short of its 12 million target, as IndiaSpend had reported on September 3, 2016.

India collected 11.1 million units of blood in 2016-17, meeting 85% of its