What is e‑RaktKosh?
e‑RaktKosh is India’s centralized, citizen‑centric portal and mobile app developed by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and C‑DAC, launched in April 2016. It connects blood banks across India, enabling:
- Real-time visibility of blood stock for various blood groups
- Searching for nearest blood banks, donation camps, and e‑pass support during lockdowns.
- Seamless online blood requests and donor coordination via web and mobile apps
Why Does It Matter?
India has more than 4,000 licensed blood banks, but often faces a shortfall—over 1 million units annually—despite over 12 million donations. Fragmentation and lack of real-time data across institutions contributed to chronic shortages in emergencies. e‑RaktKosh addresses this by unifying systems, ensuring efficient inventory management and guideline compliance.
Rare Blood Groups: A Life‑Saving Link
The New ICMR‑NIIH Rare Donor Registry
On June 21, 2025, ICMR-NIIH officially launched India’s first national rare blood donor registry, aiming to support thalassemia, sickle cell disease, trauma, and other critical patients. This registry identifies:
- Donors negative for high-frequency antigens (HFA), Dobnull, Rees null, etc.
- Over 600 rare antigen-negative donors, including 250 very rare groups, and 170 Bombay phenotype donors.
These donors are added to the web-based system, which is now being integrated with e‑RaktKosh.
How Integration Works
By merging the rare donor registry with e‑RaktKosh, the system can:
- Flag rare blood types in national inventory
- Help recipients locate compatible units quickly
- Allow blood banks to manage rare-stocking proactively
This integration is expected to dramatically reduce delays in finding rare blood and streamline transfusion logistics for critical patients.
Donors, Receivers, and Real-time Help
For Rare Blood Donors:
- Add your profile and HFA typing to the registry
- Stay updated on urgent requests via mobile/in-app alerts
- Enable your location to be searched in emergencies
For Rare Blood Recipients:
- One-stop portal for locating compatible donors
- Get notified when compatible blood is available nearby
- Avoid last-minute scrambling in emergencies
Challenges & The Road Ahead
While e‑RaktKosh promises streamlined access, several issues remain:
- Infrastructure: Many blood banks still lack trained staff, equipment, and connectivity.
- Coverage Gaps: Although initially reporting 824 connected banks (as of Dec 2021), local disparities persist.
Achieving ubiquity in digital adoption will require investment in training, infrastructure, regular audits, and governance.
How to Participate
- Donors: Visit e‑RaktKosh.gov.in or use the mobile app to register and schedule types
- Blood banks: Ensure proper antigen typing, update stock in real-time, and link rare-profile donors
- Hospitals & NGOs: Spread awareness; organize antigen typing camps for identifying rare donors
Conclusion
The integration of India’s first rare blood donor registry with e‑RaktKosh marks a significant leap in maximizing rare blood availability through digitization. For patients with thalassemia, hemophilia, sickle cell disease, and other conditions depending on rare types, this means faster transfusions, safer matches, and fewer needless delays.
Your action today can save a life tomorrow.
If you have a rare blood type—or know someone who does—register on e‑RaktKosh and become part of India’s rare donor network.