Lack of blood donors and non-availability of persons having rare blood groups in emergencies were pushing up fatality rates in hospitals in the country. Supply of blood was very poor in villages and towns, say doctors.
On the occasion of World Blood Donors Day on June 14, many organisations are planning to organise blood donation camps in Krishna district.
According to the World Health Organisation, 1.20 crore units of blood is necessary in emergencies, but only 90 lakh units are available in India, and there is a need to create awareness among the people on the need for donating blood.
Rotary Red Cross Blood Bank Chairman G. Samaram said persons who suffered injuries in road accidents or referred for surgeries, pregnant women, thalassaemia, cancer and HIV patients needed blood.
“There is no alternative for blood and more awareness programmes and blood donation camps should be organised,” Dr. Samaram said.
Emphasising that there is a severe shortage of donors having negative blood groups, Dr. Samaram, who is also the former national president of Indian Medical Association, said people with positive blood groups were available three in every 12 persons, but people with negative groups were available only 15 in every 167 persons (depending on the blood group).
“Persons having O Negative group are available one person in every 15, A Negative one in 16, B Negative one in 67 and AB Negative one for every 167,” the blood bank chairman said.
In India, 38,000 units of blood is required per day. Doctors are segregating platelets, plasma and red blood cells from each unit and are supplying them as per the requirement. Still there is a severe shortage of blood in the country.
“A healthy person can donate blood between 18 and 60 years. Each person can donate blood for 168 times and giving blood will not weaken the donor. As new red blood cells are created, the donor will become more healthy,” Dr. Samaram said.
