Blood banking is backbone of health care services. Despite high demand of blood and blood products in our country there is shortage of supply of the same. This study evaluates the causes of deferral in prospective donors and suggests modification in selection criteria and other practices according to the type of population. Prospective donors coming to the blood bank, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Delhi from January 2014 to July 2015 were included in the study. In nineteen months, total of 57,278 prospective donors were screened for their eligibility to donate blood. 4,232 donors (7.3% of total screening) were deferred and the most common causes of deferral were anaemia, medication/ alcohol intake, infection and allergic symptoms, chronic medical illnesses and presentation for donation before the recommended time gap of three months. This study recommends initiatives to be taken for public awareness and education about safe blood transfusion practices and encouraging regular voluntary blood donation. It also suggests revision of certain criteria for screening of a prospective blood donor with respect to the Indian population.
