MADURAI: The Tamil Nadu State Blood Transfusion Council (TNSBTC), in its order on Saturday, has directed all the government blood banks in Tamil Nadu to issue Donor Appointment Letters to facilitate the movement of blood donors during the current lockdown period.
Taking into account the representations made by blood banks on the concerns over maintaining adequate stock of blood and over restrictions on conducting blood donation camps, the TNSBTC, on Saturday issued directions to the Deans of government medical college hospitals, Joint Directors, Deputy Directors and Hospital Superintendents across the State on ways to facilitate the movement of blood donors.
COVID-19 LIVE | India 'turns-off' light to show solidarity in fight against coronavirus
Accordingly, TNSBTC has instructed all government blood banks to issue Donor Appointment Letters, specifying the date and time of donation, through e-mail or SMS to enable the donors to reach the blood banks during the lockdown period. The registered donors have been asked to carry the blood donation certificate of the last donation, as proof for easy travel/movement.
The directive of TNSBTC also states that blood transportation vans could be used to bring donors to the blood bank if the authorised blood donor organiser mobilises at least five donors in a specific area.
Further, a special written message of recognition with the signature and seal of the blood bank medical officer is to be given besides the certificate of appreciation that is usually handed out to the donors.
TNSBTC has also urged the blood banks to inform the donors to report to blood bank within 14 days of donating the blood if they experience any post-donation illnesses similar to the symptoms of COVID19.
The directive comes in the wake of hassles faced by blood donors across the State faced hurdles in reaching the blood banks to donate blood due to lockdown. According to sources at the blood bank in Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH), of the total 2,000 units of blood collected in a month, nearly 1,200 units are collected through camps and mass donation. As a result, only about 15-20 units of blood is now collected while nearly 100 units were collected in any day earlier.
Due to restrictions on movement and norms of social distancing (that prohibits mass gatherings) during the lockdown, the blood collection in the district has plummeted.
"At the same time, the need for bloody has come down due to drastic decline in trauma cases (especially road accident patients) and due to cancellation of elective surgeries. Thus, the blood collected through individual donors is suffice to meet the inevitable needs of cancer patients, patients of thalassemia and during childbirth, giving no room for buffer," added they. Presently, GRH has stock of 560 units of blood.