ICMR launches India’s first rare blood donor registry for thalassemia

The National Institute of Immunohaematology in Mumbai, under the Indian Council of Medical Research, has for the first time created a national ‘rare blood donor registry’ for patients with rare and uncommon blood types who need frequent transfusions, especially in conditions such as thalassemia and sickle cell



disease.

The ICMR-NIIH is now in talks with the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) so that the rare donor registry portal can be integrated with e-Raktakosh, a platform which currently provides information about blood availability, Dr Manisha Madkaikar, Director of ICMR-Centre for Research Management and Control of Haemoglobinopathies (CRHCM) in Nagpur.