Kolkata cops arrange for blood after Wriddhiman Saha’s tweet – Times of India

KOLKATA: With the rising need for plasma donations in the city — coupled with blood crisis — Kolkata Police has been flooded with messages on social media seeking help to locate willing donors. “This week alone, we have arranged plasma on six occasions and blood a multiple number of times. On five occasions, our men who donated the plasma,” said a senior officer at Lalbazar.
The latest to seek help is Indian wicket keeper-batsman, Wriddhiman Saha. “Hi everyone, very late in the night..I need “A negative” blood in Kolkata ..very urgent ..can you all help me? Comment down. I will reach out,” Saha tweeted. As several individuals re-tweeted, some even volunteering to help, the tweet reached commissioner Anuj Sharma who asked his colleagues to help out.

“We arranged the blood in quick time from the RG Kar Medical College blood bank. The unit was prepared and the person (an acquaintance of Saha) was informed to collect it from the hospital,” said an officer. “The required units of (A-) blood has been arranged successfully. The recipient’s family members have been advised to collect it from the blood bank of R G Kar Hospital,” Kolkata Police tweeted to Saha. On Thursday, similarly, another sergeant had reached a hospital in Dhakuria to help out a senior citizen.

But even the cops know their limits. “There are some important criteria for plasma donation. The donor needs to be completely fit, at least 40 days before, for the antibody to grow and he shouldn’t have any comorbidity. The blood groups, of course, have to match. Typically then, we are looking at young donors. Now, it will not be possible to help out everyone. It will also be painful for us knowing that people have contacted us with a lot of hope. While we are trying our best whenever someone is seeking help from us, it is time that the NGOs and willing donors come forward and develop a comprehensive bank. We have decided to inform the ground situation to relevant authorities,” said a senior officer from the welfare cell. At present, the welfare cell is the Lalbazar control room.
A 26-year-old media professional, whose father is admitted at a hospital off Bypass, needed plasma recently. Two cops donated plasma for the 58-year-old cancer survivor earlier this week. “The cops were there to donate in such short notice. We cannot explain our gratitude,” said the patient’s son