NACO claims 80% voluntary blood donation already and aims at achieving 85% in 2014-15. Unfortunately, right under the government's nose, at an institution which government wants the nation to look up-to and learn from - the message of voluntary blood donations seems to have no takers.
The above card is one of the four such cards a patient presented to a voluntary organisation last week demanding that they be given blood since they had provided replacement blood earlier in the year.
Such cards are against the aims and objectives listed in the National Blood Policy 2007. They confuse the message being sent out to voluntary blood donors. Are the blood donors expected to participate in some replacement based blood insurance schemes or are they expected to contribute their blood voluntarily and with expectation of no remuneration?
Let’s hope that all blood banks embrace the idea of voluntary blood donation - in letter and in spirit.