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Now, send SMS to get blood anywhere, anytime

Last Updated 16 June 2012, 18:11 IST

Every year India requires about five crore units of blood, out of which only 45 lakh units are available.

Addressing this shortfall is www.smsindia4blood.com, a website that builds link between the blood donors and the needy.

Engineers,  Ananth Prabhu from Mangalore and Paritosh Vyas from Ahmedabad met each other on a social networking site and decided that there is a need to launch an ‘SOS’ service which makes blood easily available.

Hence the duo decided to circulate blood via ‘SMS’ service and started the website. The engineers started the website five years back, but decided to launch it when it has a strong database. Today, the website has over 6,000 users.

Addressing a press meet here on Saturday, Ananth Prabhu said that there is a need to reduce the inefficiencies in hospital and blood bank system with respect to availability of blood.

How it works?

SMSIndia4blood works with the donor registering on the website. Whenever any person is in need of blood, he initiates the process by sending an SMS to a dedicated number. The SMS will start off the database search of people with that blood type in real time and prospective donors will then be informed the details of the person and their next of kin’s contact details. The donor can then call the person and carry forward for that point.
Register

To register, visit www.smsindia4blood.com and go to register page. Enter details and click on register button. After registering one will receive confirmation via SMS and email.

Prabhu also revealed that the service is an emergency service and people should take it seriously.

However, in case people misuse the service, then they will be permanently banned from the website and there are possibilities of legal action being initiated against them. The website may be officially launched next week.

Ananth said that the agency requires funds for operating expenses and incidentials. Those who wish to support the cause can purchase shirts and mugs. The details are available on the website.

How to get blood?

In case a person is in need of blood, then send a SMS in the format: SMSBLOOD (space) CITY NAME (space) BLOODGROUP to 56767500. For example SMSBLOOD MANGALORE APOSITIVE
After sending a SMS, a response message will come giving details of three donors from the city with their phone numbers.

The SMS donor will also receive a message saying ‘Blood Emergency, Contact number of the person in need’.

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(Published 16 June 2012, 18:11 IST)

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