The National Service Scheme (NSS) unit in the University of Kerala has embarked on an initiative to identify donors with rare blood groups among its volunteers.
The rare blood group donors’ forum, launched by the NSS unit in November last, has 240 members on its list with rare blood types, including AB negative and O negative.
Conceived by NSS programme coordinator A. Shaji, who is also Assistant Professor of History at the School of Distance Education, the forum has attended to around 45 cases so far.
“Difficulty in obtaining negative blood types required for emergency transfusions has endangered several lives. NSS units organise numerous blood donation camps every year, but there was imperative need to identify a group of donors for the specific purpose of making available rare blood groups,” Dr. Shaji said.
The database of donors was created after Dr. Shaji contacted the NSS programme officers at 108 affiliated colleges in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha. The varsity NSS unit has a sizeable strength of 16,400 volunteers spread across 164 units in these colleges. Those with rare blood groups were identified by organising blood group identification camps, following which the consent of the students as well as their guardians was obtained.
Dr. Shaji pointed out that some of those who had been identified showed reluctance in signing up for the endeavour owing to various apprehensions, including the fear of getting infected during transfusions.
He said the forum maintained a centralised process wherein he verifies the authenticity of the blood requirement and alerts donors, having the particular blood group type and are nearest to the hospital, through the NSS programme officer concerned. A WhatsApp group of programme officers is also maintained for the purpose. They have been able to cater to demands mostly from the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, Alappuzha Medical College and the Regional Cancer Centre.
The NSS unit in the varsity recently handed over consent letters of 25,000 students and alumni members of the University of Kerala for organ donation to Health Minister K.K. Shailaja.
