Warangal: Bank on IRCS for blood in lockdown

Warangal: While the blood banks across the nation are running short of blood reserves owing to Covid-19 lockdown, the Warangal chapter of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) here presents a contrasting picture.

The Warangal IRC is sitting pretty with sufficient reserves to address the needs of nearly 260 thalassemia and sickle cell patients who depended on it. It was indeed a notable achievement at a time even the blood bank of the MGM Hospital, the lifeline of north Telangana, is facing an acute shortage of blood reserves. Thanks to the efforts of the member of the IRCS State Executive Committee and Managing Committee E V Srinivas Rao and Warangal Rural district IRCS chairman Nimmagadda Venkateshwar Rao who not only made it possible, but also created record of sorts by collecting 202 blood units in one-go at a donation camp organised at Oorugonda under Damera mandal on April 12, in times of lockdown. In all, the IRCS Warangal Rural had so far collected 407 units by organising four donation camps.

Stating that it was difficult to motivate the people to come forward to donate blood especially during the lockdown, E V Srinivas Rao told The Hans India: "All the credit goes to Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan who has been instrumental in the activities of the Red Cross. Her constant support and encouragement is the driving force behind our endeavour towards the Thalassemia and sickle cell patients. It's learnt that Tamilisai Soundararajan had worked as IRCS National Managing Committee member sometime ago.

Nimmagadda Venkateshwar Rao said: "We organised four donation camps taking utmost care in view of coronavirus scare. Each Thalassemia patient requires blood transfusion of one unit twice a month. In Telangana, there are three transfusion facilities - Hyderabad, Warangal and Mancherial - for the Thalassemia patients whose number is around 2,000 in the State."

Meanwhile, the blood bank at the MGM Hospital (MGMH) is facing acute shortage of blood reserves. While the MGMH's daily requirement is anywhere from 40 to 50 units/day, it has come down to 10 to 15 units a day due to lockdown.

"As of now, we have nearly 150 units of blood reserves. We are putting in efforts to organise blood donation camps to improve our reserves," MGMH Medical Officer, In-charge of Blood Bank, Dr Appala Prasad said. Apart from IRCS' and MGMH's, there are three private blood banks in the city, and the situation is no different there either, it's learnt.