'Only 80 pc of State's daily blood requirement met'

 Karnataka has a target to collect at least 6.11 lakh units of blood for 2015-16, according to the Department of health and family welfare. So far, the State has managed to collect 1,09,453 units of blood.

According to department official, the government has sought support from voluntary organisations, NGOs and individual donors to meet the need. It is estimated that in a State with over six crore population, at least one per cent of the people are in need of blood donation. Approximately, Karnataka needs six lakh units of blood every year. Out of 184 blood banks in the State, 66 are certified by National Aids Control Organisation (NACO).

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Ashok Kumar Shetty, General Secretary, Indian Red Cross Society, said, “On an everyday basis, Karnataka needs 1,700 units of blood and only 80 per cent of the requirement is met.”

On this World Blood Donors Day, cab services provider Ola has partnered with Indian Red Cross Society to encourage more people to donate blood. In Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, to observe the Blood Donors Day, volunteers would be given a free ride to the blood donation camps. In Bengaluru, the facility has been made available to Seshadripuram College, Nagappa Street. Discount coupons will be given to the donors. The Health department, on June 18, will relaunch the website, presently managed by the Drugs Control department, and also a blood donation camp will be organised.

Theme this year

The theme for this year’s World Blood Donors Day campaign is ‘Thank you for saving my life.’ “Give freely, give often. Blood donation matters” is the slogan.