The Karnataka government will soon extend subsidised blood supply to patients holding Above Poverty Line (APL) ration cards who seek treatment in government hospitals, Health Minister U.T. Khader said on Saturday.

Addressing presspersons, Mr. Khader said that while free blood is currently provided to Below Poverty Line (BPL) cardholders, many APL cardholders also belong to economically weaker and middle-income families and struggle to bear the cost of blood during medical emergencies.

“Many people have been issued APL cards for various reasons, but that does not necessarily mean they are financially well off. When they require blood during treatment, they often have to struggle for money. We are planning to provide blood free of cost or at a nominal charge, based on medical necessity, even for such patients,” he said.

The quantity of blood supplied would be determined by the treating doctor, and there would be no arbitrary cap on the amount provided, he said.

Cap on charges in private hospitals

Following complaints that some private hospitals were collecting more than the prescribed rates for blood, the Minister said that the government would again issue directions to private facilities to charge within the capped ceiling.

With an increase in dengue and other illnesses, the number of patients requiring blood transfusions in private hospitals has risen, he said.

“We have instructed private hospitals not to charge more than ₹1,550 for a unit of whole blood. For blood components such as plasma and platelets, they should not collect more than ₹400 over the prescribed processing charge,” Mr. Khader said.

He urged the public to report instances of overcharging to the Health Department or the respective District Health Officer. The department will also launch a State-wide awareness campaign to educate people about the approved charges for blood and blood components.

Four regional centres planned

To strengthen blood banking services, the government plans to establish four Regional Blood Centres of Excellence at an estimated cost of ₹20 crore.

The centres will be set up at Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru, Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru, the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences in Belagavi and the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences in Hubballi.

According to the Minister, the centres would supervise and support blood banks in neighbouring districts, monitor blood availability across government blood centres, and facilitate redistribution of blood units between centres to address shortages.

The regional hubs would also help ensure timely availability of specific blood groups by coordinating supply between districts and strengthening overall blood bank management across the State, he said.

HIV awareness campaign

As part of efforts to improve awareness among young people and the general public about HIV/AIDS, the State will launch an intensified Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign on International Youth Day on August 12. The two-month campaign, scheduled from August 12 to October 11, will focus on HIV prevention, testing, and awareness.

The Minister said that more than 3,000 people in Karnataka scanned the QR code linked to the ‘Know Your Health Status’ initiative in July 2026, making the State the highest contributor of QR-code scans in the country.

The campaign also includes a mascot competition to encourage people who are unaware of their HIV status to come forward for testing. Awareness activities targeting high-risk groups are being carried out through advertisements on dating applications and other media platforms.