Platelet donor helpline gets over 1.25 lakh registrations

City sees surge in demand with rising dengue cases

Expensive affair: Random donor platelets, which are separated from blood donated at camps, can cost up to ₹400 per unit.

A platelet donor helpline started last year now has over 1.25 lakh donors registered in Mumbai alone.

The city faces a surge in demand for platelets especially when there is a rise in cases of dengue.

While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has managed to keep control on the number of dengue cases, some experts feel that having a platelet donor helpline can prove beneficial during bigger outbreaks.

Physician Dr. Pratit Samdani, who practises in several south Mumbai hospitals, said not all dengue patients require platelet transfusions. “A transfusion is given in rare cases where the platelet level is extremely low,” he said, adding that platelets cannot be stored for a longer time and thus a pool of platelet donors can come handy. “Also, there is no mandate of matching blood groups for platelet donation,” he said.

In the first two weeks of August, the city has recorded 21 confirmed cases of dengue and over 2,300 cases of dengue-like illnesses. The BMC has also warned doctors against unnecessary platelet transfusions.

According to Vinay Shetty of Think Foundation, not only dengue patients but also those suffering from malaria, cancer and some other diseases often need platelets. “But I am not in support of such a helpline. When there is a real need, nobody responds,” he said.

Mr. Shetty said one has to be aware of the costs involved as well. He said single donor platelets cost up to ₹12,000, while random donor platelets that are separated from whole blood donated at blood camps cost ₹400 per unit as priced by the government. “Ideally, there needs to be an intermediary between the patient and the donor that has the knowledge and can facilitate clear communication about the costs and the process,” Mr. Shetty said.

Platelets are a component of blood that help in the process of clotting.

Hospitals treating cancer patients often face a shortage of platelets. But activists say that people should be encouraged to donate regularly instead of simply listing their numbers in a donor registry or helpline.

The helpline 7878782020, started by Godrej Hit, alerts registered donors through calls and messages if a need for donation arises. The donor can directly visit the hospital where the patient is admitted or donate at Apollo Hospital, which has a tie-up with the helpline.