PARVATHIPURAM-MANYAM: Memu Saitham, a blood donation awareness initiative, will be launched by District Collector A Shyam Prasad on Friday, and it will continue for 50 days at the mandal level.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, the Collector said, “The district administration will conduct blood donation camps in each mandal with an aim to collect at least 50 units of blood in the first phase of the campaign. The importance of blood donation, its impact on saving lives will be widely propagated in the first phase of Memu Saitham campaign. The details of blood donors and availability of stock will be put on a web portal for the benefit of needy patients.”
The initiative aims at overcoming the severe shortage of blood in the district, and it will be conducted under the aegis of district nodal officer Joint Collector and mandal nodal officers MPDOs.
Speaking to TNIE, District Coordinator of Hospital Services Dr Vagdevi said, “A majority of patients, especially pregnant women and children, have been suffering from anaemia due to lack of awareness on nutrition and hygiene health practices. We have only one blood bank at the Parvathipuram district hospital with a capacity of 400 units. We do not have the facility to supply the blood components like platelets and plasma. We need at least 10 units of blood per day to supply to patients. However, we have been collecting only 150 to 200 units per month.”
‘Memu Saitham’ to help overcome blood shortage
“I hope Memu Saitham will help us overcome the shortage of blood, besides creating an awareness among the people in a big way,” she said. The programme will address the chronic shortage of blood to meet the local demand by creating awareness among the people on the importance of blood donation, its impact on saving lives during medical emergencies, and to establish a network of regular blood donors within the district to ensure steady supply of blood, she said.
After the launch of Memu Saitham, a blood donation campaign will be held at Gummalakshmipuram on August 12. Blood donation camps will be organised at Kurupam on August 26, at Palakonda on September 5, at Seethampeta on Sept 15, at Pachipenta on Sept 28, at Veeraghattam on October 2, at Jiyyammavalasa on Oct 12, at Seethanagaram on Oct 22, at Balijipeta on November 2, at Salur on Nov 14, at Bhamini on Nov 26, at Makkuva on December 1, at Komarada on Dec 10 and at Garugubilli on Dec 24.