Does asking for replacement inhibiting growth in number of voluntary donors?

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Over the past few months I came acorss two instances where in the people who are voluntary donors asked me one thing?

if we are donating blood voluntarily,why do blood banks asks replacements to patients?.I conveyed the genuine reason to the person that there is shortage of blood in city and not all Hospitals have the permission to organise cammps.so the only alternative for such hospitals is to ask for replacements....

The person replied saying that he would not donate voluntarily because if tomorro his family members or friends require then he will donate....if they ask for replacement then I will not donate voluntarily!!!

ultimately the question is DOES ASKING FOR REPLACEMENT INHIBIT VOLUNTARY DONATION?

put fwd your views...

Yes

Replacement donations do inhibit voluntary blood donors. Till the system does not promise no replacement policy in full, it will continue to be a matter of concern for donors who are not convinced with the true representation of the bigger picture. In fact the problem lies elsewhere. The donor education before the camp is highly limited to clarify the situation in the city. To keep things in order, frequently data that can affect the person's choice to donate is carefully hidden away. At a later period, when teh donor finds out the truth, things are much more difficult to explain than the very first time they enquired about the blood donation.

In most of the cases, yes..

Many people whom I have met and told about the voluntary blood donation, they have asked me the same question. They tell, during those emergencies, they are asked for replacement and it was difficult to locate blood.

Then we told them about the helpline number 1062. But during the summers there are no stocks throughout the city, and thus is not the ultimate solution. Then we gave the Sankalp number.

So, finally, they do not hesiate to donate voluntarily. But regularly, they seem to be hesitant till there is any emergency.

There is a brighter side to it also...

Yes this is a problem even I face every now and then. A voluntary donor asks such a question and I end up assuring him of 1062, of Sankalp emergency helpline, or the fact that he will be able to find other replacement donors, if required. The point is this- There is shortage. Blood banks need to fulfill the stocks some way or the other. There is a brighter side to the story- Many people donate for the first time when asked to replace for a friend or a family member. Many of them understand the cause and end up becoming voluntary donors. But this is small ratio. The fact still remains... Replacement does inhibit voluntary blood donation.

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