What can be termed as clear case of discrimination, National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) considers Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community as 'High Risk Group' and hence says the community is not allowed to donate blood.

This has been revealed following a Right To Information (RTI) query filed by RTI activist Chetan Kothari on April 26. The RTI was received by the NACO's Blood Safety Division on June 22 and Jolly Lazarus, Central Public Information Officer has replied to the RTI on June 30. The CPIO was not available to comment on the issue.

Dr Farah Ingale, Senior Internal Medicine Specialist, Hiranandani Hospital in Vashi, said, "They are categorised as High Risk Group mainly because they have multiple sexual partners and there is an high incidence of HIV.

There are tests before blood transfusion, but they are not 100 per cent accurate every time. So, it is better to avoid rather than taking risks. In India, not many are aware about their medical history."

LGBTQ activist Harish Iyer came down heavily on the government authority.

LGBTQ activist Harish Iyer came down heavily on the government authority labeling the entire LGBTQ community as High Risk Group. "Everybody is 'High Risk'. The blood given to any laboratory needs to be tested. If a straight person donated blood, is it offered to a beneficiary without testing? What's the point in declaring an entire community as High Risk? This is nothing but discrimination. Don't the non-LGBT people engage in high risk behaviour?

Don't they visit commercial sex workers? Do they not engage in drugs? The medical fraternity needs to stand up against this."

Kothari, on his part, said the purpose of filing the RTI was to get a clear picture as many European countries don't allow the LGBTQ community to donate blood. "Many government blood banks aren't aware about the guidelines. Some also believe it's better to lose a donor rather than getting into any legal trouble," he said.

What a shame

If a straight person donated blood, is it offered to a beneficiary without testing? Don’t the non-LGBT people engage in high risk behaviour?