These youngsters make regular efforts to meet shortage of blood

Approach residents every day to convince them to donate blood for patients

Frontline Warriors

Ajay Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 18

At a time when people have been staying indoors to keep themselves protected from Covid, some city-based youngsters have come forward to help patients suffering from thalassemia and other blood disorders.

From approaching residents to convince them for blood donation to supplying blood units at the Civil Hospital, these youngsters everyday ensure that there is no shortage of blood amid the lockdown.

After the outbreak of the coronavirus, it has become a daily task for Vardhan Chaddha (27), Trishala (27) and Amanjot (26) to browse their social media pages and contact list to approach local residents for blood donation so that they could cope with the shortage of blood units.

Like various other services, blood donation in the district has also come to a halt immediately after the lockdown. The situation had thrown up a major challenge to those engaged in the vital task of providing blood transfusion services to patients suffering from thalassemia and other blood disorders.

However, keeping their service intact, these youths, who are part of an NGO, The Blood Association, have been stocking up blood units everyday. They have also been taking care of nearly 70-80 children suffering from thalassemia in the region. Besides, they make sure that there routine blood transfusion doesn’t affect due to the lockdown.

Vardhan said, “To work in the field, we have obtained curfew passes from the administration. As blood donation camps can’t be organised due to the Covid scare, we have also been providing free pick-and-drop facility to residents, who wish to donate blood. In addition, with the help of an ambulance provided by the Red Cross Society, we take the donors to the Civil Hospital from the rear gate so that they don’t come in contact with Covid suspects and patients. Proper safety measures are also being followed during the transfusion and blood donation.”

With the help of Satinder Soni, chairman of the association, Ashwani Kapoor and Manish Athreja, they have been managing to get around 15 to 20 donors every day. Besides, thalassemia and other patients get around 10 to 15 blood units on a daily basis.