The ongoing pandemic has taken a toll on regular health operations. Hospitals and clinics have been closed in order to minimise exposure to the virus. 

This has resulted in a dearth of blood reserves. While the government and its officials are doing their part in donating blood and organising blood donation drives all over the state, it still continues to remain a major concern at the face of any emergency. 

For the first time in the Indian food and beverage Industry, Chowman chain of restaurants has come forward to host a blood donation drive among its employees and lend a helping hand to the government’s fight against Covid-19. 

This drive was executed earlier this month with the support of Chandrima Bhattacharya, Minister of State, Health and Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal, who helped arrange the mobile blood bank keeping in mind the safety and hygiene of all the donors. 

Many employees from various branches of the restaurant donated blood at the drive. 

The drive was held in the mobile blood bank, a bus converted into a sanitary and safe blood donation unit, which had successfully housed few more such donation drives in the previous weeks, all conducted under the supervision of Bhattacharya.

Debaditya Chaudhury, managing director, Chowman Hospitality Pvt. Ltd, said, "Many other companies are stepping forward to help out in any manner possible. After delivering essentials and medicines door-to-door, we felt such a step was the need of the hour. Emergencies, accidents, and patients with certain types of cancer and liver diseases, among others, are in constant need of blood.”

“Due to the low availability, many of them have been affected. So we have decided to come forward and help out with this initiative, which we want to dedicate to our healthcare professionals, who have left no stone unturned in helping and treating us. We hope to alleviate the distress of as many people as we possibly can and we are eager to host some more such camps in the near future," he added.