J&K: A mother of three and Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) worker in J&K Health department has gone beyond her official duty to set an example of social service. She is donating blood to save precious lives and spread awareness among society that donating blood is not harmful. Bilquees Ara, who hails from Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir, said that by donating a pint of blood, she not only saves a precious life but an entire family. She started blood donation in 2012 and has so far donated 28 pints. “I donate blood after every three months. I will be donating the 29th pint on September 12. I have fixed a target of donating 100 pints,” said Bilquees.
According to her, when she donated the first pint of blood, she was apprehensive that it might be detrimental to her health, but she proceeded to think of a noble cause.“But after I donated my first pint of blood to my cousin, who was pregnant and needed blood in a Srinagar hospital, I overcame fear. It gave me satisfaction and also created an urge in me to donate blood regularly to save lives,” said Bilquees. She said her husband, a teacher, and her in-laws are supporting her.
She added that she wished to allay apprehensions of people about donating blood. “By donating blood regularly, I want to send a message that it is not harmful or painful. It does not cause any weakness. In fact, blood donation has health benefits,” said Bilquees. With a motto that nobody should die of blood shortage, she has also been holding regular blood donation and awareness camps.
“Whenever and wherever I go for vaccination or census duty as ASHA worker, I make people aware of blood donation. I try to clear their misconceptions about it,” she said. Bilquees’ camps and campaigns have also encouraged women in her neighbourhood to come forward and donate blood. “I frequently receive calls from interested women now,” she said.
Bilquees said the patients in need of blood in Kupwara and Handwara hospitals used to be shifted to Srinagar for getting blood.“But now, people are donating blood and no one from Kupwara and Handwara is referred to Srinagar hospitals for blood. In fact, we have spare blood in the hospitals now and people volunteering to donate blood have to wait for their turns for a week,” said Bilquees.
She, however, added that people are still apprehensive about donating blood and that there is a need to launch more awareness campaigns in the region. “I feel proud when I donate blood. It gives me a positive feeling that I not only saved the life of a person but that of the entire family. It gives me a lot of satisfaction,” added Bilquees.