New Delhi: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday launched the eBloodServices mobile application that will help citizens to access “safe blood” easily.
The app, which has been developed by E-Raktkosh team of Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) under the Digital India scheme, will bring in transparency and facilitate single-window access to blood services of Indian Red Cross Society.
It will be especially useful during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 4.73 lakh people have been infected by the novel coronavirus in India so far, of which 2.71 have been cured. The number of people who have succumbed to the virus is 14.894.
“In the last few months, I received several complaints from people facing difficulties in accessing safe blood,” said Vardhan. “Many people require blood-related services regularly because of certain medical conditions in their families. Through this app, four units of blood can be requisitioned at a time and the blood bank will wait for 12 hours for the person to collect it.”
The minister added: “At a time when the country is going through a pandemic, the mobile app will provide succour to all those who are in dire need of blood.”
Users who download the app will know the status of blood availability at the national headquarters of Indian Red Cross Society blood bank in Delhi.
The stock in other Red Cross Blood banks in the country will also be visible in the app.