Bangalore: If ever you are badly in need of blood, including rare blood groups, you need not now run around the blood bank circuit, hoping for the best.

The Comprehensive Trauma Care Consortium's "Disha" is launching here on Wednesday its "Need Blood, Dial 1062" helpline for just these kinds of emergencies. Partnering the consortium in this effort is Sankalp India Foundation, a voluntary agency of young people actively promoting blood donation. They have enrolled over 3,000 active blood donors and met more than 1,500 requests for blood over the past three years.

The consortium with 35 affiliated hospitals with trauma care facilities, carried out extensive research into emergency blood requirements, based on actual experiences of medical personnel.

It was found that the process to source blood when most needed is a tedious one.

There were unpredictable demands for blood transfusion from trauma incidents and from surgical patients.

From the research of the consortium and Sankalp India, was born the idea of a single-window source for blood, with a dedicated helpline.

To achieve this, a comprehensive database of blood availability information was developed through integration of the major blood banks in Bangalore.

This will now enable callers to the helpline access the information; the phone number will be answered by trained and friendly emergency response professionals, round-the-clock.

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