The 21 day lockdown enforced by the government to break the infection cycle of the COVID-19 has hit the blood banks of the state. The blood banks are not able to organise donation camps due to the lockdown and the voluntary donors are not reaching out due to the restrictions. On Sunday the blood bank of the Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) issued an appeal to the people to come forward for voluntary donations. The hospital administration also released phone numbers 0135-2719809 and 7818828263 to assist the volunteers. The administration would issue special passes to the donors to facilitate their entry into the blood bank during the lockdown. The IMA blood bank is also facing severe shortage of blood. The in charge of the IMA blood bank Dr S Upreti told The Pioneer only 12-15 units of blood is being collected these days due to lockdown. “ The demand of blood has also dropped due to postponement of planned surgeries but for emergency operations blood is needed.
We have issued an appeal to donors to donate blood at this critical juncture,’’ he said. The in charge of the blood bank of Mahant Indiresh hospital Dr Gaurav Raturi also said that blood collection has dropped.
