Volunteers for blood donation will soon be able to register themselves on the Co-WIN portal and will have access data to a list of blood banks in their vicinity, upcoming blood donation camps, etc.
Registration of volunteers for blood donation would soon be enabled on the Co-WIN portal and they will have access to a list of nearby blood banks as well as upcoming blood donation camps on the portal or on the Arogya Setu mobile application, officials said on Tuesday. The initiative is part of the Centre's efforts to promote blood donation and create awareness ahead of World Blood Donor Day on June 14.
According to the Union health ministry, E-RaktKosh will serve as the blood center or laboratory interface. All the blood banks have been asked to register on E-RaktKosh. A blood donation certificate will be generated on the E-RaktKosh portal by a blood bank after the donation is completed and made available to the volunteer through Arogya Setu.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, who held a meeting with all the states and Union territories to review the preparations for World Blood Donor Day, urged them to raise awareness of the need for regular, non-remunerated, voluntary blood donations, according to an official statement. Bhushan also highlighted the need for committed, year-round blood donation to maintain adequate supplies and achieve universal and timely access to safe blood transfusion, build a sustainable and resilient national blood system and ensure that everyone who needs transfusion has access to safe blood as the country needs voluntary, unpaid blood donors who donate blood regularly.
This year, World Blood Donor Day is going to be observed on June 14. The campaign slogan for this year's World Blood Donor Day is "Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the efforts and save lives". Bhushan said the states should maximize the registration of blood donors, along with optimal blood collection (as the collected blood shelf life is 35-42 days) and felicitate blood donors and pledge ceremonies at the block, district, and gram panchayat levels, administered by the "sarpanch" (village head), the statement said.
The district collectors or district magistrates will supervise the activities in the districts. It was also suggested that the pledge ceremonies for blood donation can be carried out at physical events as well as through digital platforms. For smooth facilitation of the activities that will be carried out on the occasion, the states were advised to provide a proper facility for blood group testing on June 14 at all the primary health centers (PHCs), community health centers (CHCs), sub-district hospitals, district hospitals, and other blood banks.
The Union health secretary also urged the states to help people know their blood group, which will be useful in emergencies for the purpose of blood donation, the statement said.