30 volunteers of 108 GVK EMRI service donated blood at Civil Hospital Palampur Blood Bank at Blood donation Camp on the eve of the day. They demonstrated their leadership to live the theme of World Blood Donor Day "Give the gift of life: donate blood". Gaurav Mehta Programme Manager Kangra zone of GVK EMRI shared that the team of 108 has been a doing heroic acts every day by saving lives, and today they have led the society to inspire youth for the noble cause. He added that 2,61,465 patients have been served by timely first aid and transportation to health facility since inception, including 52,074 Pregnant women, 35,354 trauma/accident, 2,466 poisoning and 12,656 cardiac cases by the National Ambulance Service in the state. BBL Butail Speaker HP Vidhan Sabha inaugurating the Blood donation camp, dedicated the equipment consisting of Tavera ambulance, Blood Donor couch and Blood storage refrigerator donated by Rotary Club Palampur of Rotary International District 3070, Rotarians & Clubs of Rotary International District 5950 USA to the Blood Bank Socitey Palampur. Sunil Nagapal Chairman Rotary Foundation told that this was through matching grant project of amount 13.88 lakhs. Rotary Club Palampur President Manoj Kanwar stated that Rotary International is the biggest NGO participating in the largest health project of the world Polio eradication; and this is a perfect example of coordination between Govt. & NGO. He also dedicated a Keartometer equipment of eye care costing 5 lakhs to the hospital.
Dr RK Sood, District AIDS Programme Officer on the occasion shared that is an occasion to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood, to mark the birthday of Nobel Prize winner, Karl Landsteiner, who discovered the ABO blood group system. A seminar cum Felicitation function is being organized at Rotary Bhawan Palampur.
Dr Vinay Mahajan, SMO I/C cum Pathologist and Blood Bank in-charge at Palampur told that it is a common misconception that common blood groups are easily available; but it is an irony that the common groups are the ones which are most commonly needed. We may all one day need treatment by blood, but only one percent of the world’s population gives blood. So we need many more donors, if all patients shall be guaranteed proper treatment with safe blood.Dr DS Chandel Ex Director Health Services, President Beopar Mandal, Ex Jt Director Dr VP Sood, were also present on the occasion.
There is no substitute for blood, so without blood many patients would die. Any healthy person between the age of 18-60 years and having body weight of more than 45 Kg who has not donated blood in the last three months can donate blood. Blood volume returns to normal level within 48 hours after blood donation. Usually not more than 350 ml of blood is collected in one donation. This is roughly less than 7% of the total blood volume in an average healthy person.
People are afraid to donate blood due to fears of weakness, or ignorance about the need of blood, consequently there is a shortage of blood. The total annual requirement of blood in India is 1 crore units of blood while the total collection is about 65 lakhs units.