The State wide helpline 94800 44444 is now functioning and stabilized to a great extent. After attaining a satisfactory level of stability with the helpline and all the blood banks across the state which are connected to it, the helpline will now be inaugurated on 15th August. This is our gift to the people of Karnataka from all the volunteers of Sankalp India Foundation. :)
So any person looking for blood has to make a single call across the state to find the blood availability information in the nearest safe blood bank in his/ her district only. This helpline is also a joint venture of Sankalp India Foundation and CTC, and is the extension of the helpline which is functional in Bangalore for past 3 years which is 1062.
Presently it is connected to about 41 standard blood banks across Karnataka. These are spread across 14 districts like Bangalore, Bellary, Davangere, Gadag, Gulbarga, Hubli, Dharwad, Mangalore, Manipal, Udupi, Mysore, Raichur, Kolar and Shimoga. These districts account for about 87% of the blood requests from across Karnataka. The other districts will soon be integrated with the helpline.
Rakta Kranti Colleges
After lots of planning to take the message of Voluntary blood donation in colleges outside Bangalore, the following things have been achieved. Locating and getting permissions in colleges to conduct Blood Awareness weeks and eventually a blood donation drive. To organize these Blood Awareness weeks, the TeamReds in all these colleges have to be set up. About 20 students in Davangere and 20 students in Mysore have been trained to form these TeamReds. All brochures, posters, manuals handed over. Talk on facts and all aspects related to Blood donation has been given. And the blood donation drives will soon follow. The blood banks are being contacted to inform about all the procedures to be followed in these drives and of the Blood Bank Policy forms which have to agreed upon. All the steps to ensure a safe and quality drives are held.
Kolar has also been visited and colleges have been recognized and talks are going on there. Soon all the districts will be organizing standardized blood donation drives with guidance and support from Sankalp.
Rakta Kranti Companies
In the month of July there were 7 blood donation drives held. Drive at Applied Materials saw 44 donors some forward to save lives. The drive was held in short notice to fight platelet shortage and there was excellent cooperation from company. Drive at Toshiba was one of its kind, where there was about 25% increase in the expected number of donations as 1/3rd of the company came forward to donate due to brilliant work by the TeamRed of the company. Good orientation programme was given before drive and also the Director motivated people. Though the drive was held after 1 year of discussions, it was one of the best drives organized. Total units collected were 107 units. Drive at EKA showed some more innovative methods used by the TeamRed to create awareness like online quizzes, etc. 75 units were collected. There was overwhelming response in company. Drive at Techtronics saw 35 life savers. There were drives held in 2 apartments: Samrudhi and Coronet with 32 units being collected. Good enthusiasm by volunteers to publicize the event. Employees donated directly in Blood Bank in Drive at Indus League.
Another significant restructuring is the shift from the traditional IT sector for the blood donation drives. More sectors are being planned to be motivated to contribute. In specific textile and manufacturing sector are being targeted.
To maintain consistancy of the blood donation drives organized, the Sankalp forms are being pushed to be used. And to improve the quality at the organized drives, interactions with the blood banks are being held regarding the feedback mechanism and better co-operation amongst us.