The much-awaited Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS), the hotline service for procuring information on the availability of blood in the city, finally became functional on National Voluntary Blood Donation Day celebrated on October 1, 2002.

The hotline service, an initiative of the Federation of Bombay Blood Banks (FBBB) was formally scheduled to be operational a year ago, but was delayed due to a technical snag.

According to Neelam Nijhara, Secretary, Federation of Bombay Blood Banks, "The new system, the first of its kind in the country, is the outcome of efforts spearheaded by the FBBB to introduce a direct dial-in information service on the availability of blood in the city of Bombay. Such a facility would enable the FBBB to network with its member blood banks and simultaneously provide the common man easy and immediate access to any required information on blood."

The new system, built at an estimated Rs 2 lakh, was funded by Oke Electronics and Telecommunications Pvt Ltd.

Already, of the total 33 member blood banks under the FBBB umbrella, seven have actively started using the system while another 22 would become functional by the month end. Computer systems for five major blood banks comprising KEM, J J Hospital, Nair Hospital, Bombay City Red Cross and Sion Hospital has been funded by the Federation of Bombay Blood Banks.

According to Dr Nijhara, the new toll-free number will enable anyone to access information instantly. To procure blood in an emergency, all one has to do is dial a toll-free four digit number - 1910 - provided by the MTNL. This will be located at Bombay City Red Cross, near Churchgate, where the central server is stationed. From there the system will help the public in obtaining information on the availability of blood required and the nearest centre from which the blood can be obtained. For this, each blood bank will have to feed in its reports into the central server everyday on the availability and number of blood units available.

Apart from this, the system would also provide information on where one can donate blood as also where one can contact to organise a blood collection drive.

According to Dr Nijhara, "To make this Blood Helpline a success and to ensure that no patient who requires blood, suffers due to lack of it, we all will have to strive to donate and also motivate other blood donors to donate regularly so as to always maintain adequate stock of blood."