According to statistics, India has 10 percent less donated blood than it needs. To help tackle the shortage, Facebook, which has the highest number of users in the country, will roll out a new tool to help you find blood donors easily.
Facebook is already being used for casual conversations, sharing everyday moments, and even to do business in India. With the new tool, which will be rolled out on October 1 – National Blood Donor Day – people can seek help from the virtual space in a more constructive manner for prompt help. It will help match blood donors with hospitals, blood banks, and individuals in need.
At the moment, we see a lot of people posting on help groups and forums for such a critical need, and not all blood requirement posts get the due attention they deserve. It is here that the new tool will make things easier for those in need. It will ask users to sign up as eligible donors. For signing up, it will ask you for the blood group, and if you have donated blood before. Upon successful registration, one can choose to share the information in their news feed to spread awareness.
To design the tool, Facebook sought help from NGOs, hospitals, and blood banks. Upon the roll out, the tool will initially only allow donors to sign up. However, more features will be added in the coming weeks. One of the features will allow groups or individuals to send request posts about the kind of requirement.
If someone is in need for blood, they can create a post with details about the type of blood, where it is needed, and contact information. Whenever such a request is posted, the donor who has registered herself will get a notification about it. If willing, they can choose to get in touch with the clinic or individual in need and respond through Messenger, WhatsApp, or call. The details are kept private, until the donor wants to disclose it to the person in need of blood.
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