Hemant (name changed) called us this morning requesting us to send four O Positive blood donors to a leading hospital in the city today. The blood was required for a patient undergoing a major surgery tomorrow. Hemant was provided with the details of blood donor organizations and also provided with the contact details of some blood donors belonging to the required group after getting their permission.
Most people think about blood donation only after such an event. With almost childlike candor, a first time donor remarked that he had never thought of donating blood earlier as he had assumed that blood would always be available in blood banks. Little does he or several others like him know about the grim reality that patients and blood banks face every day, year after year. Illnesses do not go away, neither can some surgeries be postponed, accidents continue to take place and in short- the need for blood never ends.
Lets take a look at some statistics: According to the National Aids Control Organisation in 2007, the annual number of blood donations is 4,532,395 while the target of the National Aids Control Programme for Phase III is 10,000,000. In Tamilnadu, the actual no of donations is 264,616, while the target is 624,000.
Our population is currently 1.1 billion and increasing by the minute. Sixty percent of our population is between the age group of 18 – 59 years i.e. they are all eligible to donate blood. In Chennai alone we have around 3.75 million people who could be blood donors.
Why are donor numbers low? A pilot study among 3220 youngsters between the ages of 20- 30 years revealed the following reasons and misconceptions:
• Lack of opportunity- Ranks highest
• Not interested
• Looking for a good blood bank
• Precious blood group – so should not waste it
• Common blood group - so not required
• Scared of needles
• “No particular reason”
• Too much blood will be taken!!!!
Misconceptions
• Afraid of acquiring an infection
• Not confident of the proper use
• Blood banks make money out of my blood
• Men afraid that they will become impotent and their Virility will be affected
Several people believe that blood banks make money out of the blood that has been donated by them. This is however not the case. Starting from the process of collection, the bag in which the blood is collected, testing the blood using internationally approved methodologies , processing the blood and separation and storage of all the components at the appropriate temperatures, maintenance of equipments, rent salary and several other administrative expenses add to the cost. This cost needs to be recovered from those who can afford to pay while the rest needs to be funded through public donations. When it comes to Govt. run blood banks these costs are met through the taxes we pay.
As a result of the reasons and misconceptions mentioned above several people are affected by the blood shortage. Chief amongst these are children suffering from thalassemia, road traffic accidents and trauma victims, women with complicated pregnancy, patients with cancer and those undergoing major surgeries requiring large volumes of blood. In short it could be anyone amongst us!
For blood banks and blood donor organizations, mobilizing suitable donors is a frustrating experience almost every day. Several corporate organizations, colleges and associations organize camps at which most of the blood donations happen.. Several organisations hold camps on national days such as Republic Day, Independence Day and festival days. Large numbers of units of blood are collected on such days throughout the country and unfortunately as blood components have a shelf life, a sizeable number of these units may not be used. Since there is a steady need for blood throughout the year, these camps should be held throughout the year.
Against this backdrop, it must be mentioned that in the last 14 years of Jeevan Blood Bank’s existence, we have collected 86,127 blood donations. After their first experience of donating blood, several have become regular blood donors. These dynamic individuals lead a very full existence bound by one common purpose – to help someone else in whatever way they can. Participating in such a camp amidst them is truly a humbling experience.
Dr. Saranya Narayan
Medical Director
Jeevan Blood Bank & Research Centre
18, Besant Road ( Off Lloyds Road, Gopalapuram )
Royapettah,
Chennai 600 014
Tel: 2835 0300, 2835 1200
Web : www.jeevan.org