Indian Red Cross Celebrates Voluntary Blood Donation Day
1st October, 2006

The Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), National Headquarters (NHQ) celebrated National Voluntary Blood Donation Day on October 1st, 2006. The occasion was marked by a host of activities at the NHQ such as a week long poster exhibition, a blood donation camp at Sant Nirankari Mandal, Karol Bagh and a seminar on “Promotion of Voluntary Blood Donation”.

Dr. S.P. Agarwal, Secretary General, Indian Red Cross Society felicitating Mrs. Shobha Tuli, Secretary, Thalassemics India on Voluntary Blood Donation Day celebrations.

The guest lists included Dr. Tim Bray, International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies, Dr. R.N. Makroo, Consultant, Blood Transfusion Services, Apollo Hospital, New Delhi and Dr (Mrs) Veena Doda, Blood Transfusion Officer, Blood Bank, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi

Dr. S.P. Agarwal, Secretary General, IRCS in his address mentioned that, “Blood is life saving and a human being can be given blood drawn only from another human being”. He also mentioned that “There is high mortality rate at the time of child birth due to lack of blood in the country”.

Dr. R.N. Makroo, Consultant, Blood Transfusion Services, Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, in his address said that “Blood collected voluntarily is the route to safe blood in a developing country like India”. He added that, “At present only 50% of the blood collected in the country is from voluntary donors however it stands at 56% in the city of Delhi”. He also mentioned that, “Most of the voluntary blood donors are one time donors, hence, blood banks have to motivate donors to come back again”.

Dr (Mrs) Veena Doda, Blood Transfusion Officer, Blood Bank, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, in her address mentioned that there are 2050 registered blood banks in the country. She gave her insight into donor recruitment, care, importance of voluntary donor and ways & means to retain a donor.

During the seminar some of the individual donors shared their experiences with the audience. Representatives from blood donor organizers such as Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan School, Marthoma Syrian Church and Punjab National Bank also spoke on the occasion.

The regular blood donors who have been frequently giving blood to the IRCS were felicitated.