Blood donation saves lives, also helps donors keep good health: KIMS experts
Blood donation not only saves lives, but also helps in maintaining a good health for the donors, said noted health experts at the World Blood Donor Day 2023 celebration at Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS). The day is celebrated internationally on June 14 each year in order to thank the voluntary blood donors for their gift of blood and saving human lives.
KIMS Principal Prof. Ambika Prasad Mohanty in his speech said “a single donor not only saves one life, but by extracting the different components three lives are saved. However, the donor is also benefitting as for a balanced iron content in the blood and healthy heart blood donation helps a lot. Regular blood donation should be a norm for any healthy individual.’’
KIMS Medical Superintendent Prof. Rama Chandra Das said “in Odisha we are in the need of 4.7 lakh units of blood per annum, but in reality we are collecting around 4 lakh units, so we are having a deficit of .70 lakh units and for this we need to create more awareness among donors to come and donate voluntarily and regularly to help the society.’’
Dr. Sukanta Tripathy, the Head of Transfusion Medicine at KIMS also spoke and thanked the donors. A blood donation camp was also organised on the occasion. The event at KIMS Blood Centre had the theme “Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often’’. The special day is also the birthday of Karl Landsteiner, who invented the blood group system.
Haematologist Dr. Biswajit Bhuyan, paediatrician Dr. Palash Das and cardiac surgeon Dr. Chandan Kumar Ray Mohapatra spoke on the impact of blood donation on both donors and recipients, highlighting the power of a single act of generosity.
On the occasion voluntary donors from Mission Rakta Dan, Ama Odisha and donors from KIIT and KISS were also felicitated. Narayan Behera of Mission Rakta Dan said how their organisation collected 2,000 units of blood from across the state for the victims of the recent Bahanaga rail tragedy.
The slogan for 2023 “Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often” focuses on patients requiring life-long transfusion support and underlines the role every single person can play, by giving the valuable gift of blood or plasma. It also highlights the importance of giving blood or plasma regularly to create a safe and sustainable supply of blood and blood products that can be always available, all over the world, so that all patients in need can receive timely treatment.
The main event featured a ceremony led by Dr. Suman Sudha Routray, with support from Dr. Sushree Sumedha Dash and Dr. Tenzing Yutchola Bhutia, where KIMS acknowledged and honoured dedicated regular blood donors who have consistently demonstrated their unwavering commitment to this noble cause. Assistant manager Trilochan Senapati and blood bank coordinator Priya Ranjan Barik also played a major role in coordinating the event.
One of the most emotional moments of the event was when parents of patients requiring frequent blood transfusions took the stage to express their heartfelt gratitude to the selfless blood donors. They shared moving stories of their children’s struggles and the tremendous relief and hope that blood transfusions have brought into their lives. The parents’ words served as a powerful reminder of the life-changing impact that blood donors have on patients and their families.