The Indian Society of Blood Transfusion & Immunohaematology (ISBTI) was established in October 1972 as a result of the deliberations of 56 committed social activists who had assembled in Chandigarh for a conference on voluntary blood donation to meet the felt need of blood during war like situations. The immediate cause was Indo Pak war in 1971. The society was formed with the object of improving the unsatisfactory state of blood banking and to motivate people on a very large scale for voluntary blood donation in the country. It was also intended to bring about co-ordination of all agencies running voluntary blood transfusion services. Starting with a group of 89 members only, at present there are 5642 members and new members keep adding. ISBTI is a Non Profit Voluntary Organization registered under the Societies Registration Act since1973 and operating PAN India through its Zonal Councils and State Chapters.

Keeping in view the National Blood Policy of India, ISBTI carries out activities throughout the country as stipulated in the National Guidelines for voluntary blood donation.

OBJECTIVES

• To create awareness of safe blood.
• To create awareness of need to donate blood regularly.
• To create awareness of Healthy Lifestyle and maintaining Hb levels.
• To ensure availability of safe blood through voluntary blood donation.
• To ensure safe blood transfusion services by clinicians in blood banks & hospitals.
• To ensure quality collection, processing and storage of blood & blood components.
• To create awareness of appropriate use of blood and blood components.
• To ensure active participation of the community by motivating:
  • People to become Blood Donors
  • Blood Donors to become Motivators
  • Motivators to become Camp Organizers

STRATEGIES

• Training of ISBTI volunteers & motivators for creating awareness and motivation of donors.
• Training of blood donation camp organizers for collection of safe blood at regular intervals.
• Training of technical staff of blood banks to ensure quality collection, processing &
• Storage of blood & blood components.
• Training of clinicians and their paramedical staff to ensure judicious use, safe handling &
• appropriate administration of blood and its components.
• Workshops, Conferences and Orientation Programs for Volunteers, Blood Donors.
• Blood Donation Camp Organizers, Blood Bank Staff, Clinicians & paramedical staff.
• Upgradation & Maintenance of existing blood banks.
• Help establish Blood Banks and Blood Storage Centers where need be.

To address these issues, one of the activities undertaken by the ISBTI has been the organization of ‘Transcon’, which is an annual conference that brings together experts from the field of Transfusion Medicine.

ISBTI has number of milestones to its credit.

1. ISBTI announced 1st October as Voluntary Blood Donation Day in the year 1975. This day was recognized by NACO in 1996 and is being celebrated as National Voluntary Blood Donation Day in the Country.
2. ISBTI played a lead role in National Blood Policy making in the year 2001.
3. ISBTI has been awarded number of times and recently NACO awarded ISBTI for Excellent Wok in June, 2014, October, 2014 and October 2015.
4. ISBTI as an organization is a member of Technical Resource Group of National AIDS Control Organization.
5. ISBTI is an affiliate body of WHO.
6. ISBTI is empanelled with TISS CSR Hub to carry out projects of PSUs and other companies under their CSR policy.
7. ISBTI is registered under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).

ISBTI operates through its Zonal Councils, State Chapters and vast network of Voluntary Blood Donors, Donor Motivators & Blood Donation Camp Organizers. Members of ISBTI include Blood Transfusion Specialists, Clinicians, Nurses, Paramedical Staff, Blood Bank Staff, Voluntary Blood Donors, Donor Motivators & Blood Donation Camp Organizers from all over the Country. The State chapters organise different activities as given below:

1. Organization of Voluntary Blood Donation Camps
2. Motivational Campaigns
3. Training Programs
4. School Education Programs
5. Celebration of National & World Blood Donors Day
6. Workshops and CMEs
7. Panel Discussions

All these activities have immensely contributed in carrying forward the voluntary blood donation movement and the objectives of the National Blood Policy.

Asian Journal of Transfusion Science
The Society also runs a Journal – Asian Journal of Transfusion Science. For more information please visit www.ajts.org