To mark World Blood Donor Day on June 14, the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) has lined up a series of awareness programmes across the State.
Addressing presspersons on Wednesday, Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) M. Madan Gopal and KSAPS project director Manoj Kumar Tripathi said a programme to create awareness on voluntary blood donation has been organised at Chowdiah Memorial Hall here on Friday. A customised bus was also on the move from June 1 to create awareness in rural areas. After doing its rounds in Tumkur and Chitradurga districts, it has now moved to Belgaum, the officials said.
Pointing out that voluntary blood donation was yet to catch up, especially among the youth and women, Mr. Gopal said the awareness drive would focus on these groups. Mr. Tripathi said people in the age group of 18 to 60 can donate blood. While women can donate blood thrice a year, men can donate four times, he said.
Reiterating that dengue was under control in the Sate, Mr. Gopal said there was no shortage of platelets, which is the most crucial for treatment of dengue.
“There are 21 sentinel laboratories in the State where the required Mac-Elisa tests to detect dengue can be done. We have sent a proposal to the Centre seeking permission to set up 10 more laboratories,” he said.
H.N. Ravindra, Joint Director (Blood Safety), said KSAPS had set a target of collecting 6.11 lakh units of blood this year. “Last year, although we had a target of collecting 6.25 lakh units, we collected 6.51 lakh units,” he said.
