Buguda,(Anil Kumar Maharana): Odisha’s blood bank is currently facing a shortage of blood. With blood donation camps down by 60% in two years, blood shortage could become a serious problem in the future, said Odisha Blood Donors’ Association President Akshay Kumar Raut. There are a total of 59 blood banks in our state, including 56 blood banks of the state government, two blood banks of the Red Cross and one blood bank of the AIIMS. The state requires about six lakh units of blood annually for thalassemia patients, cancer patients, accidents and various surgeries. About three lakh to four lakh units of blood were collected annually through the ” Jivan Bindu” program of the previous government, while the remaining blood was collected by various organizations. Out of 100 units of blood collected, about 45 units of blood were of “O” positive group, while the rest were of all other blood groups. Ironically, there is also a shortage of “O” positive group blood in various blood banks in the state. Shri Raut alleged that the current government is not taking any serious steps for blood donation camps, which has reduced the number of blood donation camps by about 60% in two years. Even publicity leaflets for awareness of blood donation camps are not available. If the state government does not take steps to collect blood by encouraging various organizations for blood donation camps, then we cannot avoid the possibility of losing many precious lives due to blood shortage in the future, said Shri Raut, President of the Blood Donors’ Association.
