Ramzan deed of a woman saves life

"There is no other service greater than the service to humanity," says Alisha Khan who donated blood on the first day of Ramadhan for a critically ill patient.

Lakhimpur Kheri (UP): When Jaspal Singh Pali, who runs an NGO, approached Alisha Khan for blood donation for a critically ill patient, he was a bit hesitant. It was the first day of Ramzan.

Khan (28) immediately agreed but wanted the day's fast to be over. When the roza' ended, she came over to the hospital, her Ramzan deed probably saving the life of Vijay Rastogi.

Pali had been contacted by another social worker, Tripti Awasthi, in whose neighbourhood Rastogi lives. Awasthi said Rastogi suffered from a liver ailment.

A week back, his condition deteriorated and his haemoglobin level fell to a dangerous level. The doctors advised his family members to arrange for O negative blood, which is a rare group, she said.

"Rastogi's family members made hectic efforts amid the lockdown to arrange for the blood, but in vain. The blood banks approached by them expressed inability as the desired blood group was not available with them. Also, the family had none among their acquaintances with this blood group," Awasthi told reporters.

Pali, who runs the Shahid Bhagat Singh Nishswarth Sewa Samiti said, "I had prepared a list of voluntary blood donors with their blood groups and other necessary details. In the list, I found Alisha Khan of the city with the desired blood group."

Khan said she is happy that her blood saved someone's life. "There is no other service greater than the service to humanity," she said.

Rastogi's sons, Navin and Pravin, were all praise for Khan for her noble deed.

They said their father's condition has improved, though he is still under treatment.

The country is under a lockdown till May 3 to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus.

PTI