SAFE BLOOD, SAVES LIVES

 Editor’s Note (2020 Reflection):

This article was originally written by me on June 14, 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown. I am sharing it today in its original form to preserve the emotions, urgency, and awareness of that time.

"Why do we boil or purify water before drinking?"

To make sure that the water will not contain germs and is safe for drinking. What happens if we drink unpurified water? Yes, you are right. We will suffer from various epidemic diseases. 

Same, in the case of blood. Unsafe blood transfusion is a medium for various serious infections such as HIV, Hepatitis, and other many infectious diseases. Blood is our life.  We are made up of blood.  Blood helps in the functioning of various organs properly. It's like petrol for a motorcycle or a lead for a pencil. Blood is an integral part of a body. No life is possible in the absence of blood. As blood is considered an integral part, the same, safe transfusion of blood is the most essential factor to be analyzed. Today, 14th June worldwide is celebrated as World Blood Donor Day. In the present situation, we are only analyzing the cases and deaths of people caused by COVID-19, but on the other hand, there are lots of mothers, children, infants, and the diseased ones struggling between the point of life and death in the necessity of blood. All the medical treatments are complicated these days during the time of the worldwide epidemic. Various developed nations also have been suffering due to the lack of blood donations. 

There are many effective organizations working towards everyone's betterment. Today, in the present situation, taking positive steps to find more blood donors and work towards self-sufficiency in blood and blood products makes absolute sense. Various steps should be taken to ensure that blood collected from the individuals is safe. We human beings are responsible for making the world a better place to live in. So, we are all responsible for lending a helping hand for others in times of difficulties. According to the WHO, safe access to a blood is basic human right.

But even in the developing countries like Nepal, there are various donors and the patients lying in hospitals who are keeping their life in danger through the unsafe transfusion of blood with the increasing risk of diseases. All healthy people should be encouraged to donate some blood from their body which would bring a faint smile on the patient, a ray of hope for the patient's family, and a huge satisfaction for the donor. No, any satisfaction can be obtained from visiting religious sites but lending a small amount of blood can.  Donating a small amount of blood causes no harm to anyone. Our cells keep on regenerating. Donating blood can reduce the risk of heart diseases, and heart attacks. But in turn, the lives of anemic kids, women, people with an accident, cancer can get their new life through it. In this context, safe blood helps to give a new life to the people but in the case of the transfusion of infected blood, it emerges with a new alarming situation. Everyone involved should work smartly. The donor should check his/her health condition and the receiver should ensure that the donor is not suffering from any kind of disease. All of us, being social and intellectual beings on the earth, should remember that our small step saves  precious lives.   Now onwards we are all responsible for saving each other's lives without keeping our and their lives in danger. Every positive change starts with me.  A huge salute to the donors, donor agencies, and the medicated professions on the auspicious occasion of WORLD BLOOD DONOR DAY who have been giving their selfless service even in times of difficulties.

Six years later, the message remains the same : safe blood still saves lives.