Shillong, June 14: World Blood Donor Day 2018 themed ‘Be there for someone else. Give blood. Share life’ was observed here on Thursday at Raj Bhawan, Shillong which was attended by Governor of Meghalaya, Ganga Prasad as the Chief Guest.
Speaking during the occasion, Chief Guest, Governor of Meghalaya, Ganga Prasad, while acknowledging the noble gesture of the voluntary blood donors said blood transfusion is an essential component of emergency health care and adequate supply of blood during emergencies requires a well-organized blood service and this can only be ensured by engaging the entire community and a blood donor community committed to voluntary unpaid blood donation throughout the year.
He also informed that the highlight of this year media’s campaign would be engagement with the social media platforms through the initiative called RaktDaan India for which a Facebook page has been created by National Blood Transfusion Council with the tagline-‘Raktdaan, Kar ke dekho accha lagta hain’ to spread awareness about blood donation and motivate people to participate in voluntary blood donation camps and walk in to blood banks for donating blood.
Earlier, Dr Mrs R Allya, Deputy Director, DHS(PI) and Member Secretary, State Blood Transfusion Council, Shillong spoke on the Importance of Blood Donation with reference to the theme for 2018.
Every year on 14th June, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day. The event serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.
The campaign for this year’s World Blood Donors Day aims to highlight stories of people whose lives have been saved through blood donation as a way of motivating regular blood donors to continue giving blood and to motivate people in good health who have never given blood to begin doing so particularly the youth.
The Governor also felicitated the Voluntary Blood Donor Organizations and the Regular Voluntary Blood Donors during the occasion. Students of different Nursing Schools from the city also presented various performances.
Among others who spoke were Dr S Lyngdoh, Project Director, Meghalaya Aids Control Society, Shillong, Dr H Dkhar, In-Charge Blood Bank, Nazareth Hospital, Shillong & Member, State Blood Transfusion Council, Meghalaya and Mr S Thangkhiew, a regular voluntary blood donor.