24-05-2025
Ranchi hikes refreshment amount for blood donors
Ranchi: Civil surgeon-cum-chief medical officer of Ranchi raised the allotted refreshment amount for each blood donor from Rs 25 to Rs 50. The revised provision would allow the inclusion of a 1-lt water bottle besides the juice, cake, and chocolate.
Atul Gera of Liver Saver's said, "Hydration is critical post donation. The Rs 50 allocation ensures basic needs are met and eases the burden on organising groups."
State co-ordinator of the Jharkhand Rajkiya Swaikshik Raktdan Co-ordination Committee (voluntary blood donors), Nadeem Khan, said, "We have been demanding Rs 100-worth refreshment packet for each donor as the mount has never been revised since the state was formed.
Referring to the poor infrastructure at blood banks, he said, "We demand proper implementation of blood replacement donor card, which was relaunched on April 9. Many districts are yet to implement it. The cards must be accepted at all govt and autonomous blood banks across the state. Also, we need a portal and app for blood donation with features like a digital donor directory, tracking system, donor card, and WhatsApp-based demand alerts.
We have submitted a memorandum to health minister Irfan Ansari.
Ansari said, "We will convene a meeting with the organisers of blood donation camps to decide the next step regarding the refreshment provision and other issues."
