The state government has cracked the whip against blood banks operating in the state, issuing notices to 16 blood banks and ordering closure of five such banks. The Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) has been carrying out inspections of blood banks in the past one month.
At present, there are 162 blood banks licenced in Gujarat for collection, storage and distribution of whole human blood and components.
FDCA commissioner S P Adeshara said that several banks were found to be overlooking sections of the Drugs Act.