VISAKHAPATNAM: healthy debate among young employees of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant over social service paved the way for the formation of a group of blood donors. This small idea has not only changed their attitude but also saved several lives. Ukku Voluntary Blood Donors Group, which was formed with six members in 2009, has expanded and now has several hundreds as its members.
Instead of donating blood to blood banks, the group directly helps people who are in need. The group has so far donated blood over 2,600 times.
The founder of the group, Jerripothula Mohan Kumar, recalled that one of the employees at the Steel Plant - Anil Kumar - had inspired them to form the group after they learnt that he had donated blood over 50 times. The group was set up with new recruits then.
Mohan Kumar, who works in the radiology department of the Steel Plant General Hospital, said he initially motivated employees to donate blood when they came to the hospital for an annual checkup. Once the number grew, more employees joined voluntarily, he added. Currently, there are 1,200 members in the group and of them, over 1,000 are Steel Plant employees.
The group, formed with a motto to serve people, rose to the occasion several hundreds of times and donated blood, including rare groups, to meet the requirement of those in need.
Speaking to TNIE, Mohan Kumar said, “The immense happiness and lots of gratitude that reflects in the eyes of recipients has always encouraged us to continue with our endeavour.”
Recalling the several incidents in which the members showed exceptional willingness to donate blood, the founder said, some members even travelled to Kakinada, Vijayawada, Hyderabad and Mumbai on their own expense, in response to an SoS for blood requirement.
He explained that they used social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram to reach out to people. “We are planning to come out with an exclusive app for the group. It will be launched by Ugadi,” he said.
The founder of the group said in 2021, the group came to the rescue of those who were injured in the accident at the SMS unit of the Steel Plant. He also added that the group organises blood donations camps on the anniversary of the accident.
During the pandemic too, the group conducted blood donation drives twice where 140 people donated blood. They extended help to 80 people during the second wave of Covid and also provided platelets to those suffering from Dengue.
Mohan Kumar said there are at least 12 people who have donated blood more than 50 times and some were even ready to donate within two months of donating blood.
He expressed happiness over the growing awareness about the need to donate blood and noted that now people are not bothered by the myths regarding blood donation.