Voluntary Blood Donation is an Act of Generosity, benevolence and most importantly a superlative humanistic approach. It defines individual’s caliber and amplitude, regains his mutual relation by allocating most exquisite amenity in the form of blood. A voluntary life saver has always an authority of creating a hope of life for someone who has its unmeasured demand.
As the world’s order is getting disturbed and paralyzed due to many health challenges, it needs high time conscious and meaningful initiatives to console and regain what has been lost and what could be achieved largely. The requirement of blood has increased due to the increase in the number of chronic diseases.
What we need is to make people aware about the importance of voluntary blood donation by involving healthcare professionals, concerned authorities, officials and Govt, agencies, NGO’S who will support the blood donation campaigns with the help of volunteers at grass root level. Strengthening the aim of blood donation is only possible if we involve all the stakeholders mostly importantly those who are involved directly or indirectly with the medical fraternity.
The seminars, advertising services, TV, print media and Social media can play a vital role to make voluntary Blood donation successful. It is only possible if we thrive a visionary support throughout and publicity its benefits should be entertained. The administration can bring an impactful lead in creating the scenes by involving volunteers in different campaigns and honoring them on bigger occasions so that others will get a kind of motivation and feel the importance of the Noble cause.
Post covid-19 pandemic, the scenario and demand of blood has made tense environment globally and has put all the activists and healthcare professionals in a mindful thought how to cover-up the requirement of blood at large scale. The situation of larger demand is never allowing them to feel comfortable due to increase in the number of cancer Patients.
The blood platelets demand increases due to surge in the number of cancer cases and other chronic diseases. The hospitals are facing huge shortage of blood post Covid pandemic is an eye opener and adequate measures should be taken to tackle with the situation.
Many countries worldwide are facing the challenges and not getting the enough blood donors and also proper quality of safe blood. What is actually important is to have the reasonable strategic analysis to deal with the blood Requirement by following constructive measures and collective efforts.
Way forward
Organizing blood donation camps on the important occasions, involving more live Donors who will get in touch directly with the patients or Attendant’s, Blood Donation Activists, Hospital working staff, Blood bank officials whenever demand arises. With the help of live Blood Donors the blood in the blood banks can be used in the times of emergency. Every year Hundreds and thousands of patients die due to the shortage of blood.
Involving people with the Noble cause
- Demonstrating publicly and spreading awareness about the benefits of BLOOD donation.
- Engaging Blood Donors to become repeat Donors can help greatly to the cause.
- Educating people about the real worth and encouraging them to join the humanistic cause.
- Mandatory involvement of different Organizations so that faith can build in the religious Activities.
Advantages
There are Several Advantages a blood donor can get after donating blood:
- Blood donation will make Healthy Heart.
- Supports in boosting the production of RBC’s.
- Helps in reducing the weight.
- Automatically sleep quality improves.
- Cholesterol level will get decreased.
- New Blood cells are produced as body starts replacing the blood it has lost.
- Chances of stroke will get minimized.
- Psychologically you will feel relaxed.
- Anxiety and depression makes the way out
- Blood will get automatically replenished.
How to Tackle the Fear of Blood Donation
The need of the hour is to aware and educate the people about the doubts and fear in donating blood. This is actually most important part as more often people are ill informed about the blood donation.
Also, Collective Steps needs to be taken to ensure the safety of blood donors, starting from hemoglobin checkup, weight, Blood pressure assessment and Pre donation counseling by trained medical personnel. Donors are requested for a mandatory rest after the blood donation followed by some refreshments as well.
Eligibility Criteria for Blood Donation
- Anyone who is 18 years old with parental consent and one can donate blood upto 65 years.
- Weight should be around 110 pounds.
- A donor should not be pregnant and newly parents should wait for six weeks after giving birth.
- Not having any condition causing excessive bleeding.
- Blood pressure should be in normal range.
- Person not having any history of blood disorder can donate blood.
- Donor should be healthy and should be free from diabetes, hypertension, fatigue and weight loss.
- Hemoglobin should be more than 12.5 gram/dl.
One unit of blood can save up to three lives. It is the blood donor who saves the patients from the life threatening diseases, accidents and those patients who are supposed to undergo major surgeries. Remember there is no substitute for blood therefore we are largely dependent on the blood donors, blood donation activists to help medical fraternity to provide lifeline to the patients in need.
With this I lastly extend my deepest appreciation to Aga Syed Hassan Mosavi, Founder of the Anjuman Interfaith Dialogue Chapter and President of Jammu and Kashmir Anjuman-E-Sharie Shian and Anjuman Blood Donors, for his invaluable efforts in advancing the blood Donation movement across the Kashmir valley. His leadership in organizing blood donation camps and coordinating live donors for hospitals both within the valley and beyond the state has significantly strengthened this noble cause.
My heartfelt congratulations also go out to all the dedicated volunteers who have consistently played a crucial role over the years. Your unwavering dedication, compassion, and steadfast commitment to serving humanity are truly admirable and beyond measure. Your spirit of selflessness and forward-thinking approach have inspired many and will undoubtedly continue to do so in the future. Insha Allah
(Author is Blood Donation Activist from Magam Town and can be Reached at: [email protected])
