The volume of blood content in a human body can be easily derived from a mathematical calculation. As per the formula, if we want to know the total volume of blood inside the body, then we have to simply multiply the body weight of the person with 76 ml for men and 66 ml for women.

After computation from the scientific formula we can know that normally a healthy man has roughly at least 76 ml blood per kilogram of his body weight, whereas this amount is 66 ml per kilogram of body weight in case of women. Out of the total quantity only 50ml of blood is sufficient for effective blood circulation.

Hence 26 ml and 16 ml of blood are surplus in a human body of men and women, respectively. From this surplus amount if we are donating 8ml per kg only, then also 18 ml for men and 8 ml for women, per kg weight, would still remain as surplus, which proves that there is no harm in the blood circulation system.

But in our mind there might arise one question, why would we only donate 8 ml of blood per kg weight of body? The answer to this is, for donating blood in India one must have a minimum body weight of 45 kg, that is, anybody having weight of 45 kg can donate (45x8) 360 ml of blood.

In India not more than 350 ml of blood is collected from a donor in normal case. The liquid part of the donated blood is made up automatically within 2 days and cells are completely replenished within 21 days, but still no one is allowed to donate blood within 90 days i.e. three months after donation whereas, in case of women it is six months. So a man can donate blood four times in a year and a woman can donate two times in a year. Like in our country, we are eligible to cast vote and drive at the age of 18, similarly we become eligible to donate blood at 18 years of age whereas, the upper limit for donating blood is limited to 60 years. So from the age of 18 to 60,a man can donate 168 times (60-18) x4 and a woman can donate 84 times(60-18) x2.

Hence in India, men and women have the capability of donating 168 and 84 times respectively. But our simple message to this humanityis to at least donate blood once in their life time.

In our country, the population is 134 crore and in Odisha the population is 4.5 crore.  In our State, only 4.5 lakh units of blood are required. The total requirement is only 1 per cent of the population. From our total population even if we would deduct 75 per cent, who aren’t eligible, like children up to the age group of 18, senior citizens above 60 years, unhealthy people and the recipients, then also more than one crore people would be eligible to donate, but in reality we only need 5 lakh units of blood, which is not more than 5 per cent of the eligible persons.

But alas! Till date we have reached only up to 70 per cent in voluntary blood donation in our State whereas 30 per cent of the total requirement isstill short. Therefore, nearly one lakh of people always move here and there in panic to collect blood during urgent need for their near and dear ones. So as to help others, the thing we can do is to donate blood at least once in our eligible period which would be sufficient for our State and country to have surplus stock in our blood banks. This message is especially for the people who haven’t donated blood at least once in their life time. There is no great joy than saving a soul.                                  

(The writer is founder president, Odisha Voluntary Blood Donors’ and Motivators’ Association, Mob: 9938537600, 8984007600)