Hyderabad: Drop in blood donations to Thalassemia patients

Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Society is equipped with the latest diagnostic and treatment facility which is providing fast and risk-free treatment to the patients for free of cost

Hyderabad: Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Society (TSCS) is much worried following 30% decline in blood donations in the last two months due to the lockdown. The society needs 1500 units of blood every month to serve all the patients, but it could collect only 1200 units of blood per month in March and April.

Around 2,739 Thalassemia patients are in Telangana state, in which 505 patients are from Hyderabad according to the Thalassemia and sickle cell society (TSCS).

Transfusions of red blood cells are the main treatment for people who have moderate or severe thalassemia.

"Around 40 patients are being treated each day and 30 donors donate their blood per day at our society but due to lockdown the number of blood donations declined in the past two months.

However, over 30 % decline in donations, TSCS could compensate around 20% of the blood shortage by calling donors directly and requesting them to donate or conducting blood donation camps," said Dr Suman Jain, Secretary &CEO of TSCS.

Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder, people who are affected with Thalassemia have low haemoglobin which might lead to a severe anaemia.

Haemoglobin is found in 'Red Blood Cells' which helps in carrying 'Oxygen' to every individual body parts, when there isn't enough haemoglobin in the 'Red Blood Cells', oxygen cannot get to all parts of the body, where organs starve for 'Oxygen' and couldn't function properly.

Patients who are affected by Thalassemia should go through regular blood transfusions for survival, usually every 2 to 3 weeks.

"We at Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Society (TSCS), a registered NGO since 1998, strive hard to treat all the children who have been suffering from Thalassemia. We have just started with 20 patients at Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, and the number kept on increasing from day to day, in order to give quality service to the patients, now we have shifted to a bigger accommodation in 2009 so that we could provide the patients a safe and hygienic treatment, as per the corona guidelines, we are allowing patients according to the batches and we are observing a good count in number of patients as the lockdown is partially lifted," she added.

TSCS is equipped with the latest diagnostic and treatment facility which helps in providing fast and risk-free treatment to the patients for free of cost.

The society also provides medicines at subsidized rates, and records regular growth of children. It also offers free medical and genetic counselling. A team of specialized doctors conducts check-ups periodically.