India / Health Ministry, Indian Red Cross launch app to order blood in Delhi-NCR

New Delhi: Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday launched ebloodservices app, in partnership with the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), for easy access to blood needed for transfusion.

“This is like placing request for blood right at your doorstep. I received several complaints over the past few months from people on lack of access to safe blood, especially from those people who need regular blood donation owing to their chronic blood disorders. It will be beneficially in these corona times when commutation has become a problem and those needing blood may not be able to go from one blood bank to another,” said Vardhan.

“This app shall bring transparency in the blood donation programme and minimise the worries of those in dire need of blood. Our voluntary blood donors should come forward in large numbers as their contribution is required more than ever now,” he added.

To begin with, the app will cater to entire Delhi-NCR, and has the facility of placing an order for up to four units in one go.

“Through this app, the availability of blood will be visible right in your phone. Once an order has been placed then the blood bank will keep the request active for 12 hours. The order will be diverted to the next patient only after the original recipient fails to collect it within 12 hours,” said RK Jain, secretary general, Indian Red Cross Society.

The app’s scope will be expanded in future, with plans of linking more blood banks to it and also in other cities.

“This is a useful app and there are plans of expanding its reach gradually,” said Harsh Vardhan.

Jain said that initial few weeks could be challenging for the proper functioning of the app. “We are expecting to face glitches initially for at least 15 days to about a month as we do not know the exact demand of blood in the region as of now. It will take some time before we know how much blood is needed and act accordingly,” said Jain.

To meet the demand for blood in the city, the Red Cross blood bank had started conducting blood donation camps by sending mobile blood collection units to various localities in and around Delhi. The Red Cross blood bank was also offering pick and drop facility to voluntary blood donors. “We have ensured there is no shortage of blood and whatever demand comes our way we are able to manage it,” said Jain.