World Blood Donor day was observed on Friday to commemorate birth anniversary of Karl Landsteiner who had first distinguished the main blood groups in 1900 and developed the modern system of classification of blood groups.
Speaking to this correspondent, the chief medical officer of Haridwar, Dr Prem Lal said, “We keep on organising blood donation camps with the help of social organisations. Awareness is catching up and people come forward for blood donation voluntarily.”
A blood donation camp was observed by volunteers of Muskan foundation at Hareram Ashram in Kankhal.
Jolly Malik and Madhur who donated for the first time said that they were happy to have come forward for the noble cause. “All my cousins have come forward now and we shall be donating blood in regular camps. It is healthy to donate if one has haemoglobin above 13 Hb,” said Malik.
Umesh Saini, a senior lab technician in district TB clinic has himself donated blood 57 times since 1999. This 44 year old is a role model for many.
He said, “Annually Haridwar blood bank supplies nearly 8,500 units of blood with plasma, platelets and is even supplying to the other blood banks of the district of RK Mission hospital and BHEL hospital.” Every fourth month in a year Umesh is ready to donate and save life of a human. “I donated for the 58thtime today,” he said.
When asked about the pricing of the priceless commodity which can only be made by the human body, Saini said, “The government rate is Rs 650. Now the compulsory clause of replacement has been lifted.
I have also supplied to far off places like Kotdwar, Haldwani, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar in case of exigency.” Having achieved the target of 75 per cent blood donation voluntarily, he feels that the day 100 per cent target is achieved, there will be no dearth of blood in blood bank of the district.