World Blood Donor Day: Centre calls for setting up blood group testing camps at all health centres

New Delhi: As part of its various activities to promote blood donation and create awareness, the Centre has advised setting up of blood group testing facilities at primary health centres, community health centres and district hospitals on World Blood Donor Day on 14 June.

The Union Health Ministry has written to all states and union territories, saying such an initiative will be useful in emergencies and for the purpose of blood donation. All central government ministries, hospitals/institutions and government and private medical colleges have also been advised to organise similar activities on 14 June.

“To ensure that everyone who needs transfusion has access to safe blood, the country needs voluntary, unpaid blood donors who donate blood regularly. An effective blood donor programme requires wide and active participation of the population,” Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in the letter to states, UTs and all ministries and departments of the Government of India.

The campaign slogan for this year’s World Blood Donor Day is ‘donating blood is an act of solidarity’. The ministry has suggested an action plan to the states and UTs to be implemented with an aim to maximise registration of willing blood donors along with optimal blood collection and spread awareness among rural masses through felicitation of blood donors and organising pledge taking ceremony at gram panchayat level. The pledge can be administered by the respective sarpanch.

Similar activities may be organised at the block and district levels. A pledge in English or Hindi or regional language for blood donation will be administered through both physical events at all levels and digital platforms. The ministry has asked states and UTs to get the template of the pledge translated into regional languages for wider dissemination.

“To promote registration of blood donors and create awareness, facility for blood group testing may be made available on 14th June, 2022 at all PHCS/CHCs/Sub-district and District hospitals and other blood banks as per feasibility. This will help the common citizens to know their blood group which will be useful in emergencies for the purpose of blood donation,” the letter stated.

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