Red-letter day for Red Cross

BANGALORE: Dr Prabhu Dev, Vice Chancellor, Bangalore University on Tuesday announced that the University will soon come up with a helpline for blood.At a function to mark the World Blood Donors Day organised by Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), Karnataka State Branch (KSB), he said, “We have more than 25,000 students in the University.We are planning to come up with a register of different blood groups. We will identify the blood groups first, then categorise the students and collect blood through voluntary donation.Very soon blood supply will be channelised through the helpline which we are planning to start.” “Apart from the University campus students, we have more than 600 affiliated colleges across the state. We can also generate and channelise blood from these colleges,” he added.Further stressing on the importance of blood he said, “Blood is a priceless gift, which knows no caste, creed, race or community.Every two seconds someone requires blood. The country at any given time requires about four crore units of blood, but hardly about 40 lakh units are available.Only about three percent of eligible people are donating blood.” “A lot of people have misconceptions and phobia about blood donation, and they shy away from donating blood. Awareness needs to be generated that blood donation is safe, and it is indeed helpful in preventing heart attacks, as regular blood donation helps in making the blood thin,” he added.A R Borana, state co-ordinator, Blood Donation Sub Committee, IRCS, KSB said, “Blood cannot be produced in a laboratory. It is necessary to generate awareness about voluntary blood donation.Like in many Western countries, blood donation club house can be made part of the education society.” Meanwhile, about 18 people from different walks of life who have donated blood more than 25 times were felicitated on the occasion.