017. Blood Banks In Kerala Function Without Licenses, No Inspection For Years

Blood banks in Kerala function without licenses, no inspection for last 10 years

By Pharma Biz.Com

Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
August 22, 2013

More than 160 blood banks and 50 blood storage centres in Kerala are working without licenses for the last ten years as these units did not receive their renewed licenses and no inspection has been carried out in these units during the last several years, thanks to the apathy of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). The renewal applications of these units are pending with the drug authorities for long time, it is learnt. The AG’s and CAG’s reports had also carried remarks about the pending of renewal applications of blood banks with the drug control authorities and lack of inspections in these centres. According to sources, if inspections are not carried out on time, the entire operations of the blood banks are likely to fall in total fiasco. In Kerala, joint inspections were not conducted in two terms of renewal periods, in 2007 and 2012. The state authorities alone cannot do anything in the case of blood banks as it mandates a combined team of central and state agencies to inspect the units. As per the letter given to the comptroller and auditor general of India (CAG) by the state drug control authorities, the reason for the long delay is the non-cooperation from the side of CDSCO’s Chennai office. Sources said the Chennai office is not concerned about the seriousness of Kerala’s problems, so renewal applications of 161 blood banks are pending with the state drug control (DC) department. When contacted, sources in the state DC department said a total of 161 blood banks are working in Kerala, out of which 33 units are functioning under government control, and 128 in the private sector. The number of blood storage centres is 50. “We are forwarding all the applications to the CDSCO Chennai office as soon as we receive them. But they are not responding to our letters. The renewal of licences of blood banks is done after a combined inspection of officials from central and state departments. We have informed the matter to the CAG also,” said B Hariprasad, drugs controller of Kerala. To a question whether the units can function without renewing their licences, the DC said the blood bank units are doing the procedures for renewal properly. They can continue functioning after submitting the application. But it is the duty of the inspecting agencies to conduct inspection and issue licenses. He said more than 50 applications for fresh licenses are also pending with the office. All the attempts to contact the CDSCO officers were failed. There is report that the central office has no sufficient staff to carry out all the work on time.

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