GES holds blood donation camp

Gurdaspur, November 11

The Covid crisis has brought in its wake a rather unexpected predicament with civil hospitals of this district reporting that fewer and fewer people are coming forward to donate blood following which a scarcity has occurred.

To tide over the emergency, the Gurdaspur Education Society (GES), which runs several educational institutions in the city, decided to hold a series of blood donation camps.

Civil Hospital doctors were too willing to extend a helping hand in this initiative. Doctors claim that if the Covid fear persists there are chances that there may be an acute shortage of blood in the next several months.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ishfaq, who was the chief guest, claimed that such ventures held by private entities in collaboration with government hospitals have the potential to do away with the paucity of the life saving fluid.

SSP Dr Rajinder Singh Sohal requested NGOs and social organisations spread across the length and breadth of the district to organise such camps. The SSP said his department would organise such a drive next week where all policemen would be asked to donate blood. More than a 100 persons donated blood today at the camp, which was held at Gurdaspur Public School. Doctors of the Civil Hospital led by Dr Pooja, in charge of the blood bank, made the arrangements.

“The impact of blood availability due to reduced blood donations means a lot many problems may arise for patients opting for surgeries and accident victims. In many states there is a mounting concern around blood shortage. Gurdaspur Civil Hospital doctors have made it clear that blood donations have dramatically reduced due to the fear of contracting the virus through such drives,” said president of the society Raman Bahl. — TNS