City falls short of blood donors

Only two of the city's better-known blood banks report an increase in donors
By Richa Dhodi

BANGALORE: About half of Bangalore's 17 blood banks are suffering a shortage of donors, creating a major problem for people who approach them prior to surgery or after emergencies.

Only two of the city's better-known blood banks—Rotary TTK and Lions Blood Club report an increase in donors, but the others commented on the declining number of donors due to lack of awareness.

Deepak, an employee at the Lions Service Blood Bank said that the number of donors was declining.

He however, added that in the recent Blood Donation camp at the Railway Protective Force Unit this year the figures rose to 90 when last year they had collected 40 units.

With accidents on the rise, the doctors advocate for an increase in blood donation drives and dispelling of the myths surrounding it.

" Accidents are on the rise, and the blood required after the accidents becomes imperative in such circumstances," said Dr. Sumitra. "Motivating the donors to volunteer for the cause is very difficult."

Vijaylaxmi, technical supervisor, Rotary TTK Blood Bank said that every year there was a blood shortage of four lakh units in the state and Bangalore faced a shortage of 1.5 lakh per year.

The city falls short of around 2500 units that is 875, litres of blood daily.
Blood bank helpline, 1062, organizes regular blood donation drives targeting organizations with a large youth base.

Anand, Director, Life Care Voluntary Blood Banks Components said that there was a requirement of 300 units every month. He added that during the last drive, around 2000 people visited the camp but only 250 donated blood.

"There are only emergency donors and we have now appealing to the IT firms of the city to motivate their employees to donate," said Adarsha, a technician at Bangalore Donation Drive Society.

A prejudice about contracting diseases does not help the cause of the thousands suffering from the lack of stored blood.

"I am scared I might get weak… What if I get a horrible infection?" asked Nagaraj, a shopkeeper at MG Road.

Richa Dhodi
Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media,
Bangalore 560 074.
Richa.Dhodi@gmail.com