SRIKAKULAM: Around 200 patients suffering from chronic ailments like thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia, dialysis and cancer approach the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) blood bank for the elixir of life every month. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 induced nationwide lockdown, the IRCS blood bank was unable to meet the blood requirements of chronic patients.
Due to conduct of blood donation camps by mobilising employees of various government departments and members of voluntary organisations, the blood stock has increased slightly. But, it is not suffice to meet the requirement of all chronic patients.
Now, the IRCS blood bank is not able to supply more than 1,500 units against the requirement of nearly 3,500 units per month. Consequently, patients are forced to go to blood banks in Visakhapatnam incurring huge expenses during emergencies.
To overcome the acute shortage of blood, District Collector J Nivas has proposed to involve MGNREGA workers in donation of blood. "As the blood bank had less than 10 units of blood, we started collecting blood from MGNREGA workers on December 5 by motivating them. They have donated 470 units of blood till now. Buoyed by the good response to our blood donation campaign, we have set a target to collect nearly 25,000 units of blood by the end of current fiscal," said IRCS blood bank chairman P Jagan Mohan Rao.
There are 9,49,176 workers enrolled in MGNREGA in Srikakulam district. Of the total, as many as 6,84,041 workers from 4,27,677 households have got wage works during the current fiscal. There are about 600 chronic patients in the district, who need blood transfusion at regular intervals.
"We have entrusted the task of motivating the MGNREGA workers to donate blood to the additional project officers,"said District Water Management Agency Project Director Hanumantu Kurma Rao. Additional Project Director Roja Rani has been asked to coordinate with the mandal level officials to organise blood donation camps.
"Participation in blood donation camps will also benefit MGNREGA workers as they come to know their blood group, hemoglobin level and other details, which will help them take all necessary precautions for a healthy life, besides giving them immense satisfaction of saving lives in medical emergencies," the Project Director added.