Bhubaneswar, Aug. 19: Five medical students from a private college here have come together to conduct blood donation and free health camps in various parts of the city.

The quintet has set up the Serve All Foundation to address the issues of education and health of the poor and needy.

Speaking about their initiative to The Telegraph, group member Abhijit Upadhayay said: "Our journey has just begun, we have a lot to accomplish."

He said the idea to help people struck them during a khatti (informal chat) with his friends Srimant Anand Dash, Akash Swain, Digbijay Singh and Mohan Sundar Barik. They were deliberating on a wide range of issues, including the problems deprived groups faced, and decided to set up the organisation to help them.

They organised a free health camp on August 15 at Bugin Ho Siksha Kendra at Godibari on the city outskirts. They also conducted a painting competition for schoolchildren and a plantation programme. With the help of volunteers, the group managed to reach 55 persons, who took part in the camp.

"You don't have to be a doctor to save a life" is the motto driving the quintet.

"The idea came up during a casual conversation. Now, we are determined to serve people, who are deprived of the basic services in health and education. Sometimes, we just have to follow our own passion. Our fate is not always decided by our academic performances," said Upadhyaya.

The group began small, organising a blood donation camp on July 17 in Kalinga Nagar in association with Capital Hospital. They collected nearly 86 units of blood within a span of three hours. They were aiming to collect rare blood groups and got some success as well. They donated the blood to the hospital's blood bank.

Asked how they fund their programmes, Mohan Sundar Barik said they pooled in the money.

"Our friends contribute some money and we try our best to organise the programme. We spread awareness about our upcoming steps by distributing leaflets and other awareness materials," said Barik.

Another group member Digbijay Singh said they were planning to do something for thalassemia and haemophilia patients. He said regular blood transfusion in thalassemia patients lead to increased iron levels in the body. "The increase in iron level leads to many other diseases. We can control this through proper treatment," he said.