In a novel move, the Chennai based Jeevan Blood Bank has teamed up with the cellular service provider Airtel to create a large database of voluntary blood donors in Tamilnadu.

As per the 'Be a blood donor, save a life' project, any Airtel subscriber willing to donate his blood can register his or her name with the Jeevan Blood Bank by calling a toll free number 622. Others also can register with the blood bank by calling 98403 00622 or 98403 00621. Their name, blood group and contact details would be registered with the database of the Jeevan Blood Bank, and would be contacted later for blood donation, said Dr.P.Srinivasan, Director of Jeevan Blood Bank.

He noted that though many people are willing to donate their blood, they do not know where and whom to contact for voluntary blood donation. Hence, Jeevan decided to start a programme jointly with the mobile service company, as they could easily convey the message directly to thousands of its customers in the state. The donor's job also becomes easy, as he need not physically go to a blood bank to register his name for blood donation.

He said the registered donors would be asked to donate blood if there was a requirement, and they would get free medical check up offered by the blood bank.

According to K.Deenabandhu, Project Director of the Tamilnadu State AIDS Control Society, who officially launched the scheme, the share of voluntary blood donation was less than 40 percent in a total of 2.2 lakh units of blood collected by the 196 Government run blood banks in the state until a few years ago. This share has increased to more than 50 percent due to the various awareness campaigns launched by the state Government in the state.