To ensure the safety of the country’s blood supply, the Chinese Ministry of Health announced on February 29 that it would strengthen the supervision and management of blood collection centers, according to the China Daily newspaper (chinadaily.com.cn, 3/1). Poor monitoring of blood product distribution in the mid-1990s led to a spike in HIV infections in the rural Henan province, the article adds.

The new regulations do not allow areas with high incidence of disease transmission through blood transfusion to set up blood collection centers. In addition, the government is forbidding counties from opening voluntary blood donation centers without provincial approval.

China Daily reports additional Ministry of Health mandates require that each donation center have a qualified technical staff, up-to-date medical equipment and sanitary donation and storage practices. All donors will also now be subject to a physical examination before they may donate blood.