Amid COVID-19 lockdown, the blood banks in Kashmir have witnessed sharp decline in blood donations as well as the demand for the blood.
According to experts while the halt on the road accidentsdue to lockdown has decreased the demand for blood, the donors seem hesitant todonate blood due to the virus scare and the norms of social distancing.
However, the patients of blood disorder, cancer and womenneeding transfusion after the childbirth, emerge as the “main concern” duringthe pandemic.
According to Dr Javaid, HOD Blood Transfusion LD Hospital,as per the framework of the international guidelines issued by World HealthOrganization, the actively bleeding persons and critical emergency patientsshould be given preference.
While maintaining that people should be limited to theirdistrict hospitals in order to minimize the risk of coronavirus, he said: “Ifone to one donation takes place in a safe secure hospital environment, it wouldensure the safety of donors and following up of social distance norms as well.”
The National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) has issuedinterim recommendations to the states emphasising that voluntary blooddonations and blood collection should continue judiciously even during thehealth crisis to ensure its availability to hospitals.
Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar saidthe blood donation is taking place, however for the safety of the people,”blood donation camps are not being advised”.
According to experts under the prevailing lockdown, the needfor blood and maintaining the adequacy of blood has reduced. “Howevermaintaining the adequate levels of blood supply during the restrained socialgathering period can save precious lives,” they said.
Dr Iqbal Saleem, Professor GMC, Srinagar said the number ofdonations have gone down because the requirement has receded too.
“Road traffic accidents have decreased and that was themajor thrust where we required blood on regular basis. If patients are admittedto hospitals these days, their relatives come up with voluntarily donations,”he said.