Children and youngsters suffering from thalassemia, a form of blood disorder which requires them to be put on a blood transfusion regime, took out a rally demanding action against blood banks that were allegedly denying them blood.
About 20 children and youngsters suffering from the disease, their parents and several blood donors participated in a rally taken out to mark International Thalassemia Day here on Thursday.
The rally was organised from the Indira Gandhi Stadium to Collector’s camp office by SAPTHA (Support and Awareness for People with Thalassemia) Foundation.
The children with Thalassemia and activists of the foundation submitted a memorandum to the officials of the Collector’s camp office.
SAPTHA Foundation chairman Sarat Babu said that there an acute shortage of blood with thalassemia patients from various coastal districts coming to Vijayawada to meet their blood transfusion needs.
ShortageWhile there was a requirement of about 150 units per month there was a shortage of around 60 units. The Lion’s Blood Bank was giving only ten units a month and Red Cross Blood Bank was giving up to 50 units for thalassemia patients. The rest had to be supplied by other blood banks.
