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Telangana lockdown: Blood banks run dry as donations dip
The authorities at the Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM), the state government’s nodal agency for blood donations, said no voluntary blood donation camps are being conducted by the government-run blood banks since the lockdown was enforced.
Blood banks across Telangana are running dry because of the ongoing nationwide lockdown, which started on March 25 for three weeks initially and then extended for another two weeks, to contain the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. Regular blood donors are missing in action, as their movements have been severely restricted due to the lockdown.
The authorities at the Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM), the state government’s nodal agency for blood donations, said no voluntary blood donation camps are being conducted by the government-run blood banks since the lockdown was enforced.
The state government has also issued an advisory to the private blood banks and hospitals not to collect blood from any donors for now over fears of infection due to the viral outbreak.
“The IPM has been designated as a centralised stand-alone blood donation centre. Additional staff has been deployed to supervise the collection of blood,” Dr Shankar, director, IPM director, said.
Chiranjeevi Blood Bank at Jubilee Hills, which was started by popular Telugu film actor and former Union minister K Chiranjeevi, wears an empty look, as donors are staying away because of the lockdown. “One or two enthusiastic donors are turning up daily, as a replacement for the blood required for their relatives,” said an executive working with Chiranjeevi Blood Bank, requesting anonymity.
The IPM collects about 100 to 115 units per day, Dr Shankar said, adding they are being processed into component because of Covid-19 pandemic.
The medical and health department authorities have requested the police to allow voluntary donors to visit the IPM for blood donation.“A voluntary donor would get a text message on h/his mobile about the date and time slot allotted to h/him for blood donation. The donor can show the message to the police to get a clearance for unrestricted movement on roads,” the IPM official said.
The IPM authorities are taking all precautions while accepting blood from donors. They are processing the request after verifying the donor’s recent travel history and whether s/he has had suffered from cold, fever or cough and s/he met any Covid-19 patient or any other person with similar symptoms.
Besides the IPM, the Indian Red Cross Society has also been authorised to collect blood from donors. “There’s a severe scarcity of blood in the state because of the lockdown. The crisis is acute in districts such as Warangal, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda and Khammam,” S Narasimha Reddy, convenor, Indian Red Cross Society, said.
Fortunately, accident cases have drastically come down because of the ongoing lockdown, which, in turn, has led to a sharp drop in the demand for blood, he said. “The IPM and we’re supplying blood to hospitals in Hyderabad. We’re collecting blood from military personnel, enthusiastic youth and also the police,” Reddy said.
Patients suffering from Thalassemia, which requires blood transmission twice a month, have been hit the hardest because of the acute crisis “There are around 1,723 registered Thalassemia patients. We’re trying to arrange blood for these patients,” Indian Red Cross Society authorities said.
On Sunday and Monday, scores of software engineers working as volunteers for Security for Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC) donated blood at IPM and Indian Red Cross Society’s blood banks. “Around 200 volunteers and several policemen, including Cyberabad police commissioner V C Sajjannar, donated blood on Sunday. Another 300 software employees and their friends donated blood on Monday,” Krishna Yedula, general secretary, SCSC, said.
“If anybody wants to donate blood, the police will provide a pick-and-drop facility from h/his home to Indian Red Cross Society,” Sajjannar said.
