Chennai: Blood banks, hospitals see fewer donors amid pandemic as blood donation camps remain suspended

However, with fewer accidents being reported due to restrictions on travel and planned surgeries being rescheduled due to the coronavirus disease, the demand for blood donations has seen a dip, blood banks in the city say, adding that they have enough stock for emergencies. Donors are given a call for donating blood only during emergencies these days.

“We haven’t conducted any blood donation camps for two years now. We do receive donors who come to the blood bank directly to donate blood but we also give a call to some donors in case of emergency”, Rajkumar, chief executive at the Indian Voluntary Blood Bank in Chennai’s Royapuram told Indianexpress.com.

Prior to the pandemic, Rajkumar said the blood bank used to collect at least 5,000 to 6,000 units of blood through the blood donation camps every year. “Last year, we collected around 3500 units of blood from donors who visited the bank for blood donation”, he added.

“At Fortis Malar Hospital, we receive about eight to 10 donors on average. We call the donors depending upon the utilisation of blood”, said Suresh, Manager for Technical and Quality Control at the Fortis Malar Blood Bank in Adyar. He added that walk-in blood donations are very low currently.

That said, with unlock opening up various sectors of the city, Suresh said they are seeing an increase in the number of people visiting the hospital again.

Officials at Glen Eagles Global Health City in Perumbakkam said that the hospital receives around eight to 10 donors for walk-in donations these days.

Dr. Joshua, Blood Transfusion Services in-charge at MIOT Hospital in Manapakkam also said people are coming forward to donate blood amid the pandemic, albeit in fewer numbers. “Generally 30 to 40 per cent of the blood donations are through walk-in donations while the remaining is from donors that we call. Prior to the pandemic, another 30 per cent used to be collected through blood donation camps”, he said.

Rajkumar said that some hospitals send in replacement donors and once their vitals are assessed, they are allowed to donate blood. Additionally, donors are provided with a ‘one donor card’ after donating, which enables them to receive blood at no cost for themselves, their friends or family during emergencies. Likewise, hospitals are provided with free blood by the Indian Voluntary Blood Bank.

MIOT used to collect blood from around 700 to 800 donors every months, with at least 200 received from walk-in donors.

“Last year, the staff at MIOT and their family members donated blood”, added Dr. Joshua.

With Covid-19 still raging across the country, there is a bit of hesitancy among the public to donate blood. The blood banks and hospitals stated that donors are given counselling before donating blood.

“A lot of people are hesitant to visit hospitals for blood donation unless it is necessary so we counsel them before donating” said Suresh.

While there was hesitancy at first, there is a lot more awareness towards the requirement of blood and the need for donating, said Dr. Joshua. “There is no hesitancy among donors to donate blood post vaccination”, he added.

“Another problem is that most of the donors are not in Chennai currently. That does make collection of blood a bit difficult”, added Rajkumar.

Men can donate blood every three months and women every four months and those who are ill cannot donate blood until after their recovery. Additionally, those who have tested positive for Covid-19 can donate blood after a month following recovery, while those who have been vaccinated (either first dose or both doses) can donate blood after two weeks.