To overcome the "huge scarcity" of blood especially during dengue season, the Union Health Ministry today organised a voluntary blood donation camp.
With the national capital already in the grip of a severe dengue crisis, the camp was in line with the Ministry's aim to collect blood for providing hospitals without replacement.
Union Health Secretary B P Sharma, after inaugurating the camp, also met a group of thalassemic children who were present at the camp where a total of 310 units of blood were collected.
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This particular camp, the Ministry said, was organised to help thalassemic children and patients suffering from dengue.
"The Health Ministry aims to collect blood for providing hospitals without replacement. However, this is not possible till voluntary blood donors come forward to donate blood," it said.
During summer and especially the dengue season, there is a "huge scarcity" of blood. "In India 39,000 units of blood are required every day. As against the requirement of 130 lakh units of blood, the present collection provides only 90 lakh units," the statement said.
The National Health Mission (NHM) is trying to strengthen the district level blood centres so that First Referral Units (FRUs) are catered for blood efficiently.
Small Blood Collection Mobile units as well as transportation vans are given to states to mobilise the voluntary blood donation in remote areas. NHM is also catering to FRUs with sufficient manpower and equipments to run these centres 24x7, the Ministry said.
