Setting up blood bank in every upazila

Many patients in Bangladesh need regular blood transfusion. According to the Directorate General of Health Services, we require between 1.0 and 1.1 million bags of blood every year. Voluntary organisations reportedly deliver around 30 per cent of the total demand while the rest comes from direct donations. Donated blood is like a life-saver. However, many are devoid of this necessity as they live in areas where there is no blood bank. There are many upazilas which do not have even a single blood bank. Patients have to travel long distances to get a blood transfusion done. This not only takes time and money but could also prove deadly for those whose health conditions are too critical for travelling such distances.

So, the government should establish at least one blood bank in every upazila at the earliest. As a stopgap arrangement, a mobile blood bank can also be set up.

Md. Fajlay Rabbi,

Dashmina, Patuakhali,

[email protected]