Blogs

Recently I was invited to talk to Rotarians in Dhanbad who have been trying to shape up their blood donation related activity. It was very difficult for me to plan what I was going to say - after all, I knew that what they had in mind was a virtual blood bank - or in other words - a list of blood donors. I was to talk to a roomful of people who were skeptical about the blood banks and who were sure that the blood bank does not issue blood when needed.

They say change is the only constant thing. We believe in changing for the better. As soon as we have the goal in sight, it is time for review, learning and then set ourselves to achieve the next higher goal.

Iron chelation is an important and very costly part of thalassemia management. Over last 3 years we have been monitoring and helping make better the chelation therapy for children with thalassemia. We share here the common mistakes which often go unnoticed.

India is the world’s biggest provider of cheap and affordable medicines to the developing world. Of course, most developing countries don't like that!

Each day pass by and leave behind a memory. No history was written in a day and today when we stand at a juncture after a decade of hard work the most satisfying word that means the most in our life is ‘’ Trust’’ . Trust of blood donors, trust of blood banks, trust of the people in search of blood and every associated individual or organisation. Now that we have won the trust of thousands of people all over the country the challenge lies in keeping the trust alive and stepping ahead gradually in our endeavours to make the difference in blood banking as a whole.

Recently a donor shared feedback about some discomfort following a blood donation in one of the camps. Following the routine process, the donor was counselled, reassured and informed that the medical officer of the concerned blood bank will give him/her a call. The contact was passed on to the medical officer. We believed that the matter was taken care and as a routine process we would have called the donor a day or two later just to be sure that he is doing well.

Thalassemia this word is as common as cancer, we understand the pain and the emotions behind cancer, the fear of losing our loved ones almost never leaves our eyes, no stone is left unturned to steer them from death to life, and when you lay your head against their chest and hear the heart beat rhythmically a tear escapes the eyes thanking the wonderful inventions of science. How many of us think about thalassemia in the same way?

The CEO of pharmaceutical giant Bayer has sparked fury after announcing one of the firm's drugs was for 'western patients who can afford it'.

He described India's patent laws as 'essentially theft'

Mizoram is the state with literary rate at 95%, second only to Kerala.

Sankalp started 10 years back with the intent to help people who are facing difficulty arranging for blood in emergencies. That responsibility now rests with the emergency team of the organisation. In those days the challenge was to organise for blood for the patients who were sent out of the blood banks to look for donors. Replacement requests, negative group requests and seasonal shortages kept us busy. Those were the days when an AB-ve request was considered a challenge.  Then came the era of single donor platelets.