• To obtain blood, it is essential to present a doctor’s prescription along with properly labeled blood samples in both a plain tube and an EDTA tube. These samples should be delivered to the Prathama Blood Centre, where they will be submitted to the cross-match laboratory.
• Depending on the specific blood component required, the processing time may range from 45 minutes to 2 hours.
• Processing charges will be applicable as per the national guidelines established by the Director General of Health Services in India.
• Given that blood supplies can sometimes be limited, it is advisable to consult with the cross-match laboratory prior to your visit to ensure availability.
• In a nation where blood is a scarce resource and voluntary donors are insufficient, Prathama has streamlined the process of acquiring blood. This commitment to fostering voluntary, non-remunerated blood donations is fundamental to our philosophy. When you require blood, simply contact Prathama to request the necessary component. If it is available, it will be provided without the need for replacement donations, at predetermined testing charges. Blood donors affiliated with Prathama or Drive Organizers are encouraged to mention their status when placing a request. However, it is imperative to send the individual with a doctor’s prescription specifying the required component and the patient’s blood sample for cross-matching. Thus, blood banking is made remarkably straightforward.

How much time it will take to get blood?

• Once collected, blood is meticulously separated into three distinct components. Typically, when a patient requires a blood component, they will need only one specific element.
• Each of these blood components is stored at carefully regulated temperatures to ensure their integrity and efficacy, as outlined below:
  
  

  Component	Storage temperature	Storage life	Procedure before issue
  Red cells containing component	4 °C	42 days (With additive solution)	Cross match
  Plasma containing component	Minus 40 °C	1 year	Thawing
  Platelet	24 °C	5 days	Physical check

• Depending upon type blood component you need it may take 45 minutes to 2 hours.

Understanding Blood Testing Charges

• Processing fees levied upon patients are determined by various essential components involved in the procedure. These charges pertain solely to the materials utilized in the processing of blood, rather than the sale of blood itself. It is imperative to note that these fees represent the maximum allowable amount that can be charged to a patient at any given time. Any attempt to impose disparate charges based on blood group, time of day, or conditions of donation is both unethical and unlawful.
• Prathama remains steadfast in its commitment to ethical practices, eschewing any such improper conduct. The organization uniformly applies only government-approved testing fees across all patients and hospitals within the city. In accordance with the regulatory framework established in India, blood testing charges are strictly governed by governmental standards, ensuring that no blood center may exceed the prescribed cost norms. Consequently, any fees levied can only reflect the legitimate expenses incurred during the blood banking process, adhering to these established limits.

Sample pick up & delivery

Prathama provides a convenient service for the collection and delivery of samples and blood components from remote hospitals, alleviating the need for patients to travel to the blood center. A modest fee is applied to this service to offset associated costs, enabling patients to receive the necessary blood components with minimal inconvenience.

Why replacement is not accepted?

Furthermore, Prathama does not permit replacement donations. These donations involve a patient bringing a donor to the blood bank to secure blood in addition to covering testing charges. Such donors may include paid or professional individuals, or acquaintances of the patient who might conceal pertinent information from medical examiners in order to obtain the blood components. This practice not only heightens the risks associated with blood donation but is also regarded as unscientific; consequently, it has been abandoned by all developed nations. Prathama firmly discourages replacement donations, adhering to the highest standards of safety and ethics in blood banking.