The blood bank at Sadar hospital in Dhanbad. Picture by Gautam Dey

Dhanbad, Nov. 9: Donor clubs of the district have joined hands to ensure a single point of contact for families in need of blood during emergencies.

Various blood donor clubs have already held two meetings at which the representatives have unanimously decided to constitute a hub — christened Dhanbad District Voluntary Blood Donor Association.

The association, which is likely to take final shape during blood donor clubs’ next meeting at Indian School of Mines on November 15, is to streamline and consolidate the activities of different organisations operating in the district. The new organisation will also help identify fake clubs.

The president of Voluntary Blood Donors’ Association, Bhuli, Dhananjay Rai, who has been elected assistant convenor of newly constituted body, said that more than a dozen organisations — including Voluntary Blood Donors’ Association, Loyabad, VBDA Chasnala, Lions Club and Aastha, Sindri — will form a single pool to serve general public.

Fast Forward India, a donor club run by the students of Indian School of Mines, has also decided to join the new association.

Highlighting the need for a district-level organisation, Rai said that besides serving the patients it would also launch awareness programmes to help clear misconceptions regarding blood donation. The members will also inspire more and more people to join the association.

Expressing disgust over the dismal scenario of blood donation in the state, Rai said: “About 85 per cent people in Bengal donate blood while a paltry 25 per cent do so in Jharkhand.”

Rai was instrumental in the closure of a private blood bank in the district. The blood bank was blatantly flouting National Aids Control Organisation (Naco) norms as it lacked modern equipment.

The organisation would regularly organise awareness programmes and camps for the benefit of the masses.

Ujjwal Nayak, a governing body member of the Federation of Blood Donors’ Organisation of India, said: “It is a pity that the state still does not have a transfusion council. Formation of the organisation will be immensely helpful for the purpose. Data bank of all the blood donor’s in the district will be created.” He, added that the creation of a common platform would help to allay the ego clash between different organisations.