A person needed blood in Gulbarga for his ailing father. The particular unit of blood was out of stock in all blood banks there. He struggled for hours to find a donor as the hemoglobin kept dipping. Online donors were searched, the influential and socially well connected people were contacted and all types of options were explored. But, the unit did not come through. Across the border in Sholapur, the unit was available. The family decided to take the person to Sholapur itself believing it is a better option than going and getting the unit back. On the way the patient died!
We failed!
Though technically it may be possible to find several reasons why the blame of that persons death need not be taken by anyone and it be accepted as a routine event, but to us at Sankalp, the event has had a very deep impact. We are far away from a situation when people do not suffer and even die because of shortage of blood.
Unfortunately this is not the only tale of failed attempts that we have faced in recent past! When we did not know what is happening - we were living in ignorance. Now when we have the means and the methods to know the truth of the situation, it is impossible to ignore such events and move on.
March is the time of annual reviews. It is the time when we look back at what has happened in the last year and make strategies for the future - the time when we lay down the road maps to follow. New targets are being set and new enthusiasm being pumped in.
However we know that this is not the journey for one group alone. If blood banking will see a better day, it will only be by the joint efforts of all the people who care - who feel - who believe in change for the better. And this is what we wish for the year 2012-13 and the years to come. Come on brethren, let’s get together and free our own people from suffering and pain.