Need to lessen demand-supply gap for blood: Health activists

Time of India

a day ago

Ranchi: Despite completing 25 years of statehood, Jharkhand continues to face a chronic shortage of blood across its districts, particularly in rural and tribal regions. Ahead of the World Blood Donor Day on Saturday, health experts and civil society organisations on Friday raised concerns over the widening gap between demand and availability of blood.
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They also cited lack of infrastructure, inadequate blood banks and logistical challenges as major hurdles as reasons for the widening gap.
Jharkhand Rajya Swekshik Raktdan Samanvay Samiti, a social outfit working in the field of blood donation, said around 10,000 children in the state suffer from thalassemia and sickle cell disease, while around 1,500 more are affected by other blood-related disorders. These patients require blood regularly.
Moreover, the state requires nearly 10 lakh units of blood annually, but only about 3.2 lakh units are collected, the outfit said.
Currently, the state has only one mobile blood donation bus, costing Rs 1.6 crore, equipped with four donor chairs and operating within a 150-km range. Blood donation organisers also stress the need for such mobile units in every district to improve access, especially in remote areas. Sadar hospital lacked a Pentapack machine since 2018 and although Rims runs a model blood bank, donors face poor sanitation and have no drinking water facilities.
Atul Gera of Lifesavers Ranchi said, "We don't face a crisis of rare blood groups specifically as their demand is relatively low. What we are dealing with is the general shortage of blood." Gera also said private sector was reluctant to comply with lack of compliance with the National Blood Policy.
"In tribal areas, there is also a lack of awareness, cultural hesitation and logistical difficulty in reaching donation centres," he added.