Centre aims to create repository of eligible donors via nationwide blood donation drive
Premium- Blood donation campaign will begin on September 17 and end on 1 October, the National Voluntary Blood Donation Day
NEW DELHI : The union ministry of health and family welfare plans to set up a database of eligible voluntary blood donors in the country through the upcoming nationwide voluntary blood donation drive, said that union minister for health Mansukh Mandaviya.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, he said that blood donation campaign will begin on September 17 and end on 1 October, the National Voluntary Blood Donation Day.
In presentation, the ministry said that the campaign is aimed at increasing awareness about need of regular non-remunerated voluntary blood donations. It would also ensure that different components of blood including packed red cells, plasma and platelets are available, accessible, affordable and safe.
Along with filling the current capacity of blood banks in the country, the campaign would also help creating a repository of blood donors in the country, Mandaviya said.
As per the presentation, in the year 2021, India had 1.25 crore units of blood against the demand of 1.46 crore units. One unit comprises of 350 milliliter of blood.
A trial run for the campaign has already been done and the 2,328 camps have registered so far for the campaign. According to the ministry the country has a total of around 3,900 blood banks and 3,600 out of them have so far come on board.
Donors can get themselves registered for the campaign through the Aarogya Setu app for the campaign which has been titled ‘Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav’.
The minister also said that during September 17 to October 2, the a campaign would be run to provide community support for tuberculosis patients.
Under the NI-KSHAY 2.0 scheme, individuals, cooperative societies, corporates, elected representatives, political parties among others can support TB patients for nutrition, diagnostics and additional nutritional supplements for durations of one, two or three years. The support can be provided at the peripheral health institution, block, district and state levels.
According to the government, improved nutrition will result in better treatment outcomes, additional diagnostic support to the patients with comorbities and also result in involvement of the community in supporting the treatment cascade shall help in the reduction of stigma.
Out of the 13 lakh TB patients in the country, around 9 lakh patients have given their consent for adoption under the scheme, as per a presentation from the ministry.
The development comes days after President Droupadi Murmu launched the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan and urged Indians to work collectively towards elimination of the disease on a war footing. The president on Friday had launched the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative to ensure additional diagnostic, nutritional, and vocational support to those undergoing TB treatment.
The central government has made a commitment to eliminate tuberculosis by 2025, five years ahead of the global target of 2030.
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