IMPHAL August 7: Due to the lack of sufficient awareness, voluntary blood donation is still low in the state, which has created a major drawback in meeting the annual requirement of blood in the state. People are reluctant to donate blood due to certain attached misconceptions and apprehension informed S. Ingocha, medical officer blood bank, J.N. Hospital this morning.
He was speaking to media persons on the sideline of a blood donation camp held at the hospital that was organized by Friendship and Development organization, Imphal.
Further elaborating on the issue, he stated that as compared to other neighbouring states, the state is still lagging behind in terms of voluntary blood donation and added voluntary donations from eligible donors constitute the major chunk of blood that is stored in the Blood banks which are subsequently issued to those who are in need.
Out of the annual requirement of 27000 units of blood in the state, RIMS is able to issue only 14000/15000 units of bloods while JNIMS issue only a meager 7000 to 8000 units per year. The remaining units have to be compensated by hook or crook, Ingocha said.
He further said that during the month of July 2011, 596 units of blood was issued in direct variation to 549 units collected of which only 125 units was received from voluntary donations. He added that voluntary donation is much safer contrary to blood replacement as replacement blood involves greater chances of risks.
Today’s blood donation camp is the 9th such camp organized by the Friendship and Development organization in collaboration with the blood bank of JNIMS.
Since the inception of the blood donation camp, there had been an average of 30 donors every year, however this year there has been a record of 64 donors though the organization was targeting about 50 donors.