Nipah bleeds blood banks in Kozhikode

KOZHIKODE: The deadly Nipah virus has been blamed for the drop in blood donors in the city, but Kerala Blood Donors Forum says it began with the vacation season and continued for the fasting month of Ramzan. “Nipah scare hit some 20 days ago, but the hospitals, especially the Kozhikode Government Medical College has been facing this crisis for last three months,” said Forum president Ashokan Alaprath. 

On a daily basis, the  city hospitals alone require nearly 600 blood donors to conduct various operations.  The bypass surgery patient alone needs six to 12 donors in a go, and at least ten bypass surgeries happen in the city daily. It is the AB+, O- and the AB- groups that face a shortage.  After the fasting started, nearly half the donors on our list went unavailable.  “The government must take more initiatives to attract youngsters to come forward to donate blood," he said. 

“For the first time in the history of MCH, it had to hire blood from a private hospital as the blood bank at MCH has run dry." The district administration in association with the Forum decided to launch an intense campaign to find donors to overcome the crisis. They have invited donors to the first camp on Sunday at Town Hall and donate blood if they feel uncomfortable to go to hospitals. “Similar campaigns will be there regularly," district collector U.V. Jose said.