“Young donors, new blood for the world” has been the focus of the Karnataka Voluntary Blood Donors' Association (KVBDA). On the eve of World Blood Donor Day on Sunday, the association and other organisations felicitated those who have donated blood more than 15 times.
“At present, 88 million units of blood are annually mobilised against the global need of 150 million units. In Karnataka, 4.5 lakh units are mobilised against a demand of 5.5 lakh units.
“Even if two per cent of the population donates blood once a year, we can meet the global demand,” Raju Chandrashekhar, president of KVBDA, said.
Actor Nidhi Subbaiah felicitated Payal Mahey, who has donated blood 10 times, Shankar Rao Nallode (25 times), M. Nagaraj (25 times), Pratap Ligaiah (15 times) and Sundeep Shah (15 times).
The felicitation programme was organised by the association along with Press Club of Bangalore, Public Relations Council of India, Lions Club of Bangalore, Madhavanagar, and Seshadripuram College Youth Red Cross.
Speaking on blood donation, Sharan Shivraj Patil, orthopaedic surgeon and chief of Sparsh Hospital, said, “Even after 60 to 70 calls, we do not get a single negative blood donor. A small act of donating blood can make a difference to others' lives. This is why donation should become a movement, an on-going culture and not just merely an annual event.”
Seshadripuram College, KLE Group of Institutions, Rotary Mid Town, Sant Nirnakari Mandal, Bharat Fritz Werner were among the institutions that were also recognised.
K. Sadashiva Shenoy, General Secretary, Press Club, and Anil Nayak, Chairman, PRCI, Bangalore Chapter, were present.
