Need to lessen demand-supply gap for blood: Health activists
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
17 minutes ago
- Time of India
PhD student from University of Hyderabad wins award for research on next-gen vaccine strategies
Hyderabad: A PhD student from University of Hyderabad was conferred with the Dr Yellapragada Subbarow FABA Award for Doctoral Students–2025 by the Federation of Asian Biotech Associations (FABA) for his research on next-generation vaccine strategies using extracellular vesicles. Srinivas Duvvada, a doctoral researcher at the School of Life Sciences, UoH, will be formally presented with the award at the FABA Innovation Awards Ceremony on Saturday in Pune. The award includes a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh. His award-winning PhD work on next-generation vaccine strategies, under the guidance of Nooruddin Khan, professor, department of animal biology at UoH, leverages engineered probiotic-derived outer membrane vesicles for needle-free, oral immunisation—offering innovative solutions to global health challenges. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad | Gold Rates Today in Hyderabad | Silver Rates Today in Hyderabad "Srinivas's achievements not only reflect his commitment to advancing science for societal well-being but also bring pride to the University of Hyderabad," said Khan. Srinivas, an emerging researcher in vaccine and extracellular vesicle engineering research with prior industry experience at Sanofi, is a member of the International Society of Extracellular Vesicles. He was also awarded the Best Oral Presentation award at VESICON 2025, organised in the city in March. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
17 minutes ago
- Time of India
Death of student in Mandla prompts staff suspensions & probe
Jabalpur: The death of Class 10 student Shilpa Maravi from Eklavya Model Residential School in Mandla district has triggered prompt administrative action, with three staff members removed and an investigation expanded to determine the exact cause. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Shilpa collapsed while performing a dance on Independence Day and was placed on ventilator support but later passed away during treatment. Her viscera was sent for forensic analysis to a laboratory in Sagar. Mandla collector Somesh Mishra stated on Thursday, "The student's death is being taken very seriously. The nurse posted at the school has been dismissed, the superintendent suspended, and the principal removed from duty. Further action is recommended against him." The district administration has also approved a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the girl's family. Joint director of health services for Jabalpur division, Dr Sanjay Mishra confirmed that the viscera report will be vital in establishing the cause of death. Earlier, about 17 students from the same school were hospitalised with fever and related symptoms, raising concerns of a viral outbreak. All have since recovered and been discharged. Samples from six children were sent to ICMR-Jabalpur for testing, but results are still awaited. The incident has intensified anxiety in the tribal-majority Mandla area, where fears of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) have resurfaced following the suspected JE death of a six-year-old boy last week. However, officials have ruled out dengue and malaria, with a viral infection considered the most probable cause. Adding to concerns, seven girls fainted during morning prayers at a govt girls' high school in Narayanganj, also in Mandla district, on Wednesday. They were rushed to the local hospital and are reported to be stable.
Time of India
17 minutes ago
- Time of India
Hyderabad among top 7 life sciences clusters globally
Hyderabad: Telangana's thriving life sciences sector has propelled Hyderabad into one of the top seven life sciences clusters in the world and the only Indian city to achieve this distinction, IT & industries minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu said on Wednesday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He said the sector attracted investments worth Rs 54,000 crore since Dec 2023, resulting in the creation of 2 lakh new jobs in pharmaceutical manufacturing, medical technology, and vaccine production. Pointing out that global giants such as Eli Lilly, Amgen, MSD, Zoetis, Evernorth, and Olympus have already chosen Hyderabad as their preferred GCC hub, he said Telangana will soon unveil its next-gen life sciences policy, which will be a "cutting-edge policy framework designed to attract large-scale investments." Sridhar Babu also said the state set an ambitious target to scale up its life sciences economy to $250 billion by 2030, with an eye on making Telangana the life sciences capital of Asia. The minister, who chaired the 6th board meeting of the Telangana Life Sciences Foundation in the city during the day, also proposed the preparation of a feasibility report for establishing the Telangana School of Life Sciences. The foundation's board members include Dr Reddy's Laboratories Chairman Satish Reddy, Laurus Labs CEO Dr Satyanarayana Chava, special chief secretary Sanjay Kumar, and Telangana life sciences director Shakti Nagappan.
