Berhampur (Orissa): Orissa is one of the
poor performing states in collection of blood through donors.
The collection of blood through volunteers is only 68
per cent of the total blood in blood banks in Orissa, whereas
it was 80 and 90 per cent in states like West Bengal,
Maharashtra and Kerala.
In Orissa, a total 2.34 lakh blood units were
collected last year, official sources said.
Of these 1.80 lakh, around 68 per cent had been
collected through the volunteers, according to Orissa State
AIDS Control Society (OSACS) sources.
The voluntarily blood donation, however, slightly
improved this year. While 1.51 lakh units were collected in
the state by the end of July, 1.16 lakh units through the
voluntary donors. The target of collection for this year was 3
lakh, including 2.24 lakh through voluntary donors.
Constant efforts, holding of camps and awareness among
young people are some of the reasons for slight improvement of
blood collection through voluntary donors in the current year,
said Tripati Mishra, deputy director of OSACS.
Activists of Association of Voluntarily Blood Donors
(AVBD), state branch, however said the people to donate the
blood would be increased if the government introduces the
credit card system to the donors.
J Suresh, general secretary of AVBA, who is also the
executive committee member of Federation of Blood Donors
Organisation of India (FBDOI) said more number of youths would
come forward to donate blood voluntarily, if the government
introduces the credit card system to the donors.
"The experiment was a success in other states like
West Bengal, which stood first in the country to collect blood
through the volunteers," he said.
PTI
