Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Concept of blood donation yet to catch on

Anima Balakrishnan

`It is the concept of walk-in donors that needs to take off here'

Coimbatore: The city still has some way to go when it comes to awareness about blood donation. Though apart from the hospitals, there are blood banks to cater to the needs, there are not enough donors to meet the demand.

"In Coimbatore, there are still misconceptions associated with blood donation," says K. Raghu, Technical Director, IMA Masonic Rotary Midtown Mahaveers Blood Bank Trust. "People tend to think that blood donation will make them weak, when it is not the case," says Dr. Raghu.

Doctors point to studies that show with regular blood donation one can live longer and reduce the chances of heart and brain attacks.

"It is the concept of walk-in donors that needs to take off here. That people can actually walk in as they would to a restaurant, and donate blood," says Dr. Raghu.

"In India, 85-lakh units of blood are needed every year and we get only 50-lakh units," says M. Alaudeen of the Lions Club of Coimbatore Legend Blood Bank and Research Centre.

Especially in the case of negative blood groups or when it is needed in huge quantities, blood availability is still a problem. There is a lack of awareness on where one should go to donate blood or can get blood in case of emergency.

In Coimbatore, apart from hospitals and the numerous blood donation camps, one can walk in and give blood any time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the IMA blood bank or call for information on blood availability at 5513322 and 2471824.

Further, Lions Club has a database of around 25,000 blood donors and information is available at 2477373 or 4200212 and here too one can walk into the blood bank anytime and donate blood. Information on blood availability can also be got from the Red Cross database (12701, 2211209).

At these blood banks, a unit of blood costs a minimum of Rs. 500. "The cost of blood covers its collection, storage and testing," says Dr. Raghu. All the blood donors would have to undergo the mandatory screening and tests.

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