Blood donation in TN to be hit post vax drive of 18-45 age group

The blood banks across Tamil Nadu have appealed to the youths to donate blood before the jab is taken and if there is a shortage of blood in blood banks, road accident victims, cancer patients for chemotherapy and people affected with HIV would suffer. 

It is to be noted that the treatment for these patients requires multiple blood transfusions. Emergency surgeries will also be affected and the health department is in a spot and is to create an awareness campaign among voluntary blood donors and their associations to donate blood before the vaccination.

However, there is enough blood for the HIV patients as 90 National AIDS control organization (NACO) blood banks across Tamil Nadu have 35,000 units of blood.

Dr Suresh Menon, an Oncologist with a leading hospital in Chennai while speaking to IANS said, "We need 750 units of red blood cells and 750 units of platelets every month for patients suffering from Cancer and  those who undergo chemotherapy. 

"Unless there is a proper awareness among blood donors and voluntary blood donor organisations for donating blood before vaccination, we are heading for an acute shortage of blood."

Arun Kesav of PPP foundation which is in the field of blood donation said that finding donors would be difficult if Rh(-ve) groups are found , he said, "When there are requests for 25 -ve type blood groups, we find 15 but now we are hardly able to get 5 people and this will be tough."

Another major crisis being faced by the hospitals is delivery, which requires blood and if there are Rh(-ve) blood groups involved, procuring blood is an even more tough task.

Dr Manonmani Arun who is a Gynecologist at a leading hospital in Kanyakumari told IANS, "There is no dearth in deliveries and we will have to create proper awareness to donate blood in blood banks  before the jab is taken, otherwise we are staring at a tough future as delivers are not coming down and even though we have less number of Rh(- ve) blood groups coming up, it is tough to get donors for even these and we have to be on extra vigil for the same."