On World Thalassemia Day, the citizens of Hyderabad responded overwhelmingly to blood donation drives held throughout the city and a number of NGOs and hospitals organized blood donation drives.

When the number of Thalassemia patients in the city rises, so does the demand for blood. Each month, 15 new cases are reported, bringing the total number of patients to 2895, compared to an annual average of 1200. "Right now, the only big help we need is blood donation," said Dr. Suman Jain, CEO of Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Society (TSCS).

At the moment, TSCS needs 50 units of blood per day. Since the number of Covid-19 positive cases in the state has risen, many blood donation drives have had to be cancelled due to lack of donors, and since mass blood drives aren't possible, all major hospitals are holding in-house sessions to promote blood donation, she said.

Santosh a founder of an NGO said, “Blood and plasma are in high demand as the number of Covid patients continues to rise, and it is expected that demand will increase in the next two months. We had launched a blood donation program to ensure that there would be enough blood until the vaccine for those over the age of 18 began. We are hopeful that all of our criteria will be fulfilled."