KCTRI Blood Center – Smt. Valbai N. Dharamsey Blood Center is one of the leading charitable blood centres in Hubballi, Karnataka, operating within the Karnataka Cancer Therapy & Research Institute (KCTRI) at Navanagar. The centre plays a vital role in providing safe and timely blood transfusion services to patients across Hubballi, Dharwad, and the North Karnataka region. Recognized as a Regional Blood Transfusion Centre (RBTC) by the Karnataka State Blood Transfusion Council, the blood centre is committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality, safety, and patient care.

The blood centre is housed in a modern 3,000-square-foot, fully air-conditioned facility equipped with advanced technology for blood collection, processing, testing, storage, and distribution. Every donated unit undergoes rigorous screening for transfusion-transmitted infections and compatibility testing before being issued to hospitals, ensuring safe transfusion practices. The centre also operates a sophisticated blood component separation unit, enabling whole blood to be processed into Packed Red Blood Cells (PRBCs), Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP), Platelet Concentrates, Single Donor Platelets (SDP), and Plasma, allowing a single donation to benefit multiple patients.

A key strength of the blood centre is its advanced apheresis unit, which facilitates the collection of Single Donor Platelets (SDP) for patients undergoing chemotherapy, bone marrow transplantation, dengue treatment, and other conditions requiring specialized platelet support. The facility is also equipped with deep freezers capable of storing plasma and blood components at temperatures as low as −70°C, ensuring long-term preservation and availability of life-saving blood products. In addition, the centre supplies Factor VIII and Factor IX for the treatment of patients with hemophilia, while providing free blood and blood components to eligible patients with thalassemia, hemophilia, and HIV.

The centre strongly promotes voluntary blood donation through regular awareness campaigns and blood donation drives organized in colleges, universities, industries, government offices, corporate organizations, and social groups. These initiatives help maintain an adequate blood inventory throughout the year while encouraging community participation in saving lives. A dedicated team of transfusion medicine specialists, laboratory technologists, and healthcare professionals ensures that every donor receives proper counseling and every patient receives safe and reliable blood products.

As part of the Karnataka Cancer Therapy & Research Institute, the blood centre primarily supports cancer patients while also serving individuals undergoing major surgeries, trauma care, maternity services, pediatric treatments, and emergency medical care. Its patient-centric approach, advanced infrastructure, and commitment to humanitarian service have made it one of the most trusted blood centres in North Karnataka