Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, has organised a national seminar on ‘Promotion of Voluntary Blood Donation’ today on the occasion of World Blood Donor Day 2012 based on the theme ‘Every Blood Donor is a Hero’. The seminar was organised in association with State Blood Transfusion Council, Delhi and NGO Blood for All.

Dr A K Walia, Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Delhi, and the chief guest inaugurated the seminar at Hotel Le Meridien, New Delhi

In his inaugaral address Dr A K Walia said, “Although blood donation is one of the noblest of causes because it saves precious lives, most often, however, the contribution of donors goes unrecognised. This day is therefore an excellent opportunity to felicitate such donors who are, in the true sense, ‘National Heroes’ for their contribution to society. Considering the importance of voluntary blood donation, we should strive hard to ensure Delhi becomes the leader in safe blood transfusion services.”

Dr R N Makroo, director, Department of Transfusion Medicine & Molecular Biology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, said, “This year’s theme recognises the contribution of people who donate blood regularly. It reinforces the urgent need for more people to become life-savers by volunteering to donate blood regularly. This would help in ensuring sufficient blood supply to hospitals, where there are daily requirements. The aim must be to achieve 100 per cent voluntary blood donation in the country. Let each one of us pledge to become blood donors and donate blood regularly to save more lives. Young blood donors who can regularly donate their blood are needed to meet the requirement of blood.”

According to the World Health Organisation, if one per cent of a country’s population donates blood, it would be sufficient to meet the nation’s basic blood requirements. Against the requirement of about nine-10 million units of blood, the annual collection in India is only seven million units.

Dr Makroo informed that to improve blood safety it is necessary to test the blood by Individual Donor Nucleic Acid Test (ID-NAT) for HIV, Hepatitis B Virus and Hepatitis C Virus to decrease the window period transmission of these dangerous infections.

Around 200 people participated the donation drive, including officials from the SBTC, blood bank officers from the government and private institutions, officials from Drug Controller’s office, voluntary donor organisations such as Lions Club, Rotary Club, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sena Dal, Sant Narankari Mandal, Country Plus Club, individual blood donors and centurion blood donors who have donated blood more than a hundred times.