SURAT: They are not just rescue people stuck in various calamities but they help to save lives by donating their blood. The Fire and Emergency department of
Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) organised a two-day blood donation camp at its Vesu Centre to meet shortage of blood in the city.
"We have learnt that there has been shortage of blood in
SMC run SMIMER Hospital for its regular emergency patients, we decided to organise a two-day mega blood donation camp at our Vesu centre. We urged our employees working with the Fire brigade department to come forward and donate blood in large numbers," Basant Pareek, chief fire officer, SMC, told TOI.
"On the first day of the camp, 119 units of blood was collected. SMIMER Hospital's blood bank came to collect the blood at the camp. We urge those employees who have not donated, turn up on Friday and donate their blood and save lives," Pareek added.
"Due to Covid-19 less number of people donate their blood but we urge people to come forward and donate as we need it at SMIMER hospital. We ensure all safety measures are in place while collecting blood and follow Covid-19 guidelines," Dr Ankita Shah, head of immunohematology and
blood transfusion (IHBT) department at SMIMER Hospital told TOI.
According to sources, blood banks across the city face shortage of blood as people are reluctant to donate blood due to fear of Covid-19.
City based Surat Raktadan Kendra and Research Centre (SRKRC) also urged people to donate blood or invite them in their area for blood donation collection by organising camps to meet the demands of blood.
"As against the requirement of 50 units of blood, we hardly get 20 units of blood per day and this is the case for every blood bank in the city," said an official from a voluntary blood bank.