Phenomenal increase in blood donation

Tirupati: The blood donation which started like a trickle has grown into a pool, thanks to the growing awareness among the general public coupled with latest facilities making blood donation simple without any complications.

The number of units received annually through blood donation at the Sri Venkateswara Ramnarain Ruia Government General Hospital (SVRRGGH) has increased from mere 700 units in 1995 to about 8,000 in 2015. In other words, the blood donation had increased more than tenfold in two decades, revealing the phenomenal increase in blood donation helping to save scores of lives.

A glance at the details of the blood donation, year wise, at the SVRRGGH amply indicate that that blood donation has been growing year after year with no sliding back. Further, among the donors, young in the age group of 18 and 25 constitute 52.45 per cent while those in the age of 26 and 35 were about 32.92 per cent. In other words, about 85 per cent of the donors’ are youth in the age group of 18 and 35 which is indeed heartening.

It is needless to say that increasing blood donation has changed the blood availability status which was once scarce at the state of the art model blood bank which is one of its kind in the entire State.

Speaking to The Hans India here on Friday, Blood Bank Coordinator and Director RR Reddy said that the latest facilities in place in the blood bank made blood donation easy and comfortable to those desire to donate blood in the centre.

Further, the model blood bank is capable of meeting the requirements of the 600-bed SVRRGGH and also providing blood to the needy patients of other hospital including TTD-run BIRRD and also to the numerous private hospitals located in and around Tirupati at a nominal service charge, thanks to increased blood donation.

This was mainly due to many factors like growing awareness among the public, modality of transfusion and also the Centre setting up National Blood Transfusion Council which has been playing a proactive role in promoting blood donation.

“Thanks to increase in blood donation, we are at surplus, throughout the year,” he said asserting that there is no dearth of blood at any day, including rare groups. The mobile blood donation centre attached to the blood bank is playing a key role in promoting blood donation, monitoring the entire process including receiving blood donation and also disbursal of blood to the needy and procedures being followed to screen the blood before issuing it.

In the same breath, he said that there is every need to enhance the blood donation further to reach the ideal level which is one unit per every thousand population, in the district.

The words of a senior employee of a private hospital are sufficed to show the positive impact of increased blood donation. He (who did not want to disclose his identity as he was not authorised to speak) said that the model blood bank is a boon to us as we are able to get the required units of safe blood daily which will be 5-10 units.

“We are also doing our best to promote blood donation ensure the availability of blood in the blood bank,’’ he added.