The Thalassemia International Federation(T.I.F.) in association with Federation of India Thalassemiacs(F.I.T.) organised a workshop on 17-18 December 2013 in New Delhi. The workshop was aimed at capacity building the patients/parents support groups and help the groups in India formulate a clear strategy towards improving and supporting national and state efforts for better control of thalassaemia. Representatives of 7 states namely Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra attended the workshop.

Emergency Wing

Last month total of 13 Bombay blood group requests for 16 units. 2 units were found available off the shelf while 7 donations happened. Other units managed by systematic planning and use of alternatives to blood transfusion therapy.

Let us see the events as they unfolded in the month of October.

Rakta Kranti - Bangalore

Sankalp organized 9 blood donation drives in October collecting 777 units in Bangalore.

The question that we must ask ourselves: Are we selecting the right donors?

On 30th October 2013, Dr Nalini Ambady, a Stanford professor of Indian origin succumbed to leukaemia after a yearlong fight with the disease.

Dr Prasanna, the Blood Bank Medical Officer of Victoria Hospital, Bangalore had a hard time in the last week of October. As many as 5 different individuals/organizations wanted to organize a blood donation drive on 1 November - the day of Kannada Rajyotsava. The Medical Officer says that despite him requesting some of them to reschedule the drives to a later date; none were even considering it. Emotions related to the day ran high. Eventually the blood bank agreed to do one drive and informed the others that they were currently too busy and sufficiently stocked!.