DK-Red Cross sets a record for one day blood donations

DK-Red Cross sets a record for one day blood donations

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Sep 28, 2014: The mega blood donation camp organised by the D K unit of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) in association with Samruddha Jeevan Foundation (SJF) was a huge success as planned  with 601 persons donating blood on a single day at IRCS Blood Bank, at Government Lady Goschen Hospital premises here on September 26.

 

 

 

 

The SJF had organised mega blood donation camps at 350 locations in 21 states in India on the day, to commemorate the birthday of SJF Founder Dr Mahesh Motewar. In Karnataka, the blood donation camps were held in 38 locations including Mangalore and Udupi.

  A few blood donors turned out early in the morning, the number of donors steadily increased after 11.30 number of people were found standing in queue to donate blood. “Members of Samruddha Jeevan Foundation arrived from all taluks of the district - Belthangady, Sullia, Bantwal, Puttur and Mangalore in buses, arranged specially for them,” Samruddha Jeevan Foundation Senior Zonal Officer Shivraj said and added that each and every person who donated blood were provided with a zeroblance account in Sumraddha Jeevan Multi-State Multipurpose Co-operative Society Limited, a wing of SJF. A special counter was set up for the purpose at Town Hall premises.

  A record :  Though the SJF planned to collect 1,000 units of blood on asingle day in Mangalore.  Friday was a working day, many could not turn up, Shivraj said and added that they could not arrange the camp on any other day as their founder’s birthday was  Sept 26,  and every year it was a practice to organise the camp on that particular day.

Good arrangements :  The DK IRCS had made elaborate arrangements with 70 beds at Blood Bank premises at five locations in association with the Blood Banks of Government Wenlock Hospital, Yenepoya Hospital, Kshema, A J Hospital and Srinivas Hospital.   While IRCS Blood Bank counteers of Wenlock hospital collected 51 units, Yenepoya 71, Kshema - 24, A J - 72 and Srinivas Hospital volunteers collected 31 units of blood.

Earlier in the day, Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim and Mayor Mahabala Marla lighting the lamp. Lady Goschen Hospital Superintendent Dr Shakunthala M Mugadur, Assistant Drugs Controller Nagaraj K V and IRCS Chairperson B Prabhakar Shriyan among others were present.

Fr Muller’s Hospital insists on replacement :   As the blood donation camp was going on, a student from SDM accompanied by SDM College Lecturer Prasanna arrived at the camp site and pleaded with blood donors to accompany them to Fr Muller hospital to donate blood at the  hospital blood bank as the doctors at Fr Muller had reportedly told kin of patient Laxman to get 12 donors, to give him 12 units of blood for transfusion. “The kin took the 12 donors in four autorickshaws to FMCI and 10 out of them donated the blood.” Though the National Blood Policy clearly says that “institutions who prescribe blood for transfusion shall be made responsible for procurement of blood for their patients through their affiliation with licensed blood centres,” many hospitals continue to demand for replacement, alleged Hanumanth Kamath, the IRCS Blood Bank committee member.

However, when asked, FMCI Blood Bank Officer Dr Kiran said that the hospital did not force anybody to donate blood. It may be recalled that Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim as well as Assistant Drug Controller Nagaraj K V had recently convened a meeting of all blood bank officers and directed the persons concerned not to insist on replacement of blood from patients’ kin.