China's healthcare system is reportedly suffering from blood shortage thus patients who desperately need transfusions turn to agents called "blood heads" for certificates that could give them access to blood banks.

Because of the "blood famine," China has been encouraging its citizens to donate blood to restore the nation's supply in blood. According to the World Health Organization only less than one percent of China's population voluntarily donated blood in 2011.

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From the 1980's through the 1990's, local officials urged farmers to donate blood and plasma to hospitals and blood banks in exchange for money. However, unhygienic blood donation processes led to HIV infection, reports say.

During the 90's, China shut down commercial blood donations and introduced the blood donation law which banned commercial sale of blood and encouraged voluntary donation. The said law also requires patients to show a blood donor certificate before allowing them to obtain blood from hospitals.

The certificates also need to show that the patient's family members, friends, and relatives have donated blood as some chronically ill patients need large and regular transfusions, so they have to count on their family and friends to donate blood for their needs.

The new generation of blood heads nowadays reportedly pay off people from the streets to donate blood at a state blood bank and sell donation certificates to the patients who need it. According to some blood heads, they ask for US$160 for every 100 ml of blood.  

China has been making efforts to crack down these blood heads but these illegal blood dealers are not afraid of police officials as they reportedly know most of the cops.

TagsBlood shortage, blood famine, blood transfusion, black market