In an attempt to make it easy for the people in need of blood and plasma amid the coronavirus pandemic, a group of youth have developed a smartphone application, ‘AyushBindu’, bringing the donors and the patients on a common platform.
With the app supported by the GPS technology, those in the need of blood or plasma can browse through the list of available donors in their vicinity on a real-time basis and seek help.
Ilapakurthy Sri Krishna Vamsi and Tanuj Palepu, both students, conceived the idea and sought the technical support from the Suvarchala Solution and Konexions, two Hyderabad-based software firms, to help design the app. V. Sai Charan, Kartik Sridhar,Varad Arun Choudhari, Phani Raja Mitra are the part of the team which developed the app.
How it works
“The users can download the app from Google Play and register themselves as donors or patients. With the help of GPS technology, the app can help locate the right donor nearby, saving time. The app also provides an in-built communication channel throrugh which the donors and the patients can interact,” says Mr. Sri Krishna Vamsi.
The app has features to ensure privacy of the users who can choose from 11 major Indian languages for interaction.
“Now, we are visiting blood banks and voluntary organisations involved in blood donation in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts and create awareness about the app,” says Mr. Sri Krishna Vamsi, a BBA second year student.
The use of technology at optimum level is need of the hour to save patients as only 40 lakh registered blood donors are available in the country, he says. “Only 2,708 blood banks are functioning in India at present and 81 districts don’t even have such facility. The existing blood banks are also unable to cater to the the demand which has gone up in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic,” he explains.
Demand-supply gap
According to Indian Red Cross Society which operates a blood bank in Srikakulam, the demand-supply gap of blood is more than 50%.
“The demand for blood is 35,000 units per annum in the district, but hardly 12,000 units are available. Promotion of blood and plasma donation is need of the hour,” says P. Jaganmohana Rao, Chairman of IRCS Srikakulam district.
Srikakulam Lions Club-Central president Chintada Krishna Mohan and secretary Badana Devabhushana Rao who set up a blood bank recently says that app would help patients immensely.
“Many victims of road accidents die owing to non-availability of blood. More lives can be saved if blood is available in time and this app will go a long way to ensure it,” adds Mr. Krishna Mohan.