Hyderabad: The city is grappling with a surge in dengue cases, which has led to a steep rise in hospital admissions and an unprecedented demand for platelets. Local health authorities are worried at the alarming trend while people are coming together to address the urgent need for blood donations, particularly single donor platelets.
Senior physician in a prominent blood bank Dr Manohar K. said, “Hospitals are facing a tremendous strain following the heavy admissions of dengue cases and several patients requiring blood transfusions to combat the effects of the virus. Many patients are in critical condition and are in an urgent need of platelets. We urge healthy individuals to rise to the occasion and volunteer to donate blood before things turn worse," he told Deccan Chronicle.
The demand for blood donors has surged so dramatically that organisations like the Hyderabad Blood Donors Association, Chiranjeevi Blood Bank and Red Cross Society have seen a substantial increase in calls.
“Previously, we used to receive a maximum of six calls for blood donations each day. Now, we are receiving more than 10 calls a day, each an SOS. We have been able to cater to the demand," said a representative at Chiranjeevi Blood Bank, while director of the Red Cross Society Pitchi Reddy said that there has been a notable rise in requests for platelets, especially single donor platelets, as “prescribed by several corporate hospitals these days”.
Local blood banks and donation centres are working tirelessly to address a “potential” shortfall. Social media platforms have become hubs for individuals desperately looking for blood donors and sharing information about available donation centres. Tweets and social media requests have grown as the city residents rally to find donors and raise awareness about the situation and availability.
Volunteer of a blood donation community group Sneha Sharma said, “Dengue patients need specialised care and single donor platelets are vital for their treatment. It's heartening to see the community come together to donate specifically for this cause."
Dentist Dr Aravind Ranga said, “I posted a request on Twitter for a blood donor for my cousin, who is down with dengue. Within hours, we received two offers over social media, much quicker than the blood bank we reached out to."
