CHANDIGARH: World Blood Donors Day is being celebrated throughout the state by the Department of Health and Family welfare in coordination with the various departments. Giving more information, Secretary Health Sh. Ajoy Sharma said that World Blood Donors Day is celebrated throughout the world on 14th of June. This year the slogan of the Day is “Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the efforts and save lives”. One unit of blood can save many lives.
Secretary Health said that to ensure that everyone who needs transfusion has access to safe blood we need voluntary unpaid blood donors who donate blood regularly. An effective blood donor program requires wide and active participation of the population. Department is aiming to maximize registration of willing blood donors along with optimal blood collection. To promote registration of blood donors and create awareness, facility for blood group testing, one month campaign is being started from 14th June 2022 at all PHCs/CHCs/Sub-district and District hospitals and other blood banks to help the common citizens to know their blood group which will be useful in emergencies for the purpose of blood donation.
He said that for the ease of public a web-based system e-Rakt Kosh is available that interconnects all Blood Banks of the nation into a single network. This helps the public to easily access the blood availability status and can make requisition of a particular blood group specific blood component in nearby blood banks (especially rare groups). It includes online tracking and trailing system of the blood and blood products (components of blood), by the state level administrators.
Sh. Ajoy Sharma further said that under the Blood Transfusion Services in Punjab, there are 150 licensed blood centers out of which 46 are Government run blood centers, 07 Military blood centers and 97 private blood centers. Punjab has collected 3, 61, 913 units of blood in the previous financial year out of which 1, 57, 993 units were collected at government centers with 97% volunteer blood donations.