Azad honours voluntary bloods donors

 Ghulam Nabi Azad, Minister for Health and Family Welfare recently honoured nine voluntary blood donors who have donated blood more than 75 times, and 11 organisations which have organised between 100-3000 blood donation camps in the past year. Azad congratulated the voluntary donors and said that they are the ‘real heroes’ of our society. He also exhorted the youth of the country to come forward and voluntarily donate blood.

 Azad mentioned that the demand for blood has gone up in the past few years, whereas the supply to meet these increasing demands is yet not commensurate. The Minister stated that as the new centres for early detection for cancer, cardio-vascular diseases will start operating, and owing to the increasing medical tourism in the country, the demand for blood is likely to further increase. 

 Speaking at the occasion, Anuradha Johri, Additional Secretary, NACO stated that as against the demand for 1.14 crore units of blood, estimated on basis of the population currently, only 93.32 lakh units of blood was being collected in the country annually, which has resulted in saving of lives of about 92 lakh patients. She further stated that the collection of blood by NACO has increased by 12 per cent during 2011-2012 over the previous year. The demand for blood has escalated due to increased number of surgeries and transfusions, and often by reckless and unnecessary use of blood. There was thus the need for sensitising the users of blood, hospitals, and doctors towards responsible and rational use of blood which can save so many more lives, she said.