Members of the Indian Medical Association, young and old, gathered at the KGH and donated blood to show their concern for patients and dispel myths associated with the gesture.
‘Fine example’“It is like setting a fine example for people to follow,” Director of Medical Education and former KGH superintendent G. Santa Rao said while interacting with fellow doctors who lined up at the KGH Blood Bank.
“IMA chapters have been conducting blood donation camps on different days, especially on World AIDS Day. But this year, they have decided to take up a massive nationwide campaign to promote blood donation.
As part of it, all the chapters have been asked to organise camps exclusively for its members,” IMA national vice-president L.V. Raghava Rao explained.
There was a greater acceptance in society and people are coming forward to donate blood.
But there was dearth of blood, which needed to be addressed by voluntary donation, he added.
IMA Visakhapatnam unit president K.V. Ram Prasad, secretary P.A. Ramani, and vice-president V.V. Sekhar were present.
“The government, as a policy, has banned replacement donation, and there is a need to increase voluntary donation,” Dr. Santa Rao said.
“The blood bank has a capacity to stock 800 units and, on an average, there are 25 to 30 donors who walk in every day to donate blood. The blood bank also conducts camps,” said blood bank medical officer Shyamala.
Register of volunteersThe blood bank had a register of volunteers of rare blood groups such as ‘O –ve’, and as and when the need arose they would be contacted, its medical officer Raj explained.
Dr. Santa Rao took the opportunity to review the functioning of the blood bank and know about its requirements.
Medical specialists and members of doctors’ associations were present and donated blood on the occasion.
