HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, June 14: The Assam State Blood Transfusion Council (ASBTC) joined the global community in observing World Blood Donor Day on June 14, 2024, at the Sri Sri Madhabdeva International Auditorium, Kalakshetra, Guwahati.
The theme for World Blood Donor Day 2024 is “20 years of celebrating giving: Thank you, blood donors!”
Addressing the gathering as the chief guest, Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Keshab Mahanta, expressed gratitude to blood donors for their invaluable contribution to saving lives.
“The 20th anniversary of World Blood Donor Day is an excellent and timely opportunity to thank blood donors for saving precious lives through blood donation and this day provides us an opportunity to honour the donors who have been helping in saving lives. Through blood donation we have been able to help people who need blood and even we help the patients of the private hospitals to get blood. There are 83 blood banks in Assam and 7 more blood banks will be established soon,” he said.
Mahanta further emphasised the significance of honoring those who have made a difference through blood donation and stressed the importance of making blood donation a mass movement.
Celebrity guest, actor Kopil Bora, commended the efforts of blood donors and encouraged the continuation of the blood donation movement to save lives.
Ashok Babu, IAS, commissioner & secretary to the Government of Assam, Health & FW Department, highlighted the significance of World Blood Donor Day and expressed gratitude to all individuals who have donated blood, emphasising its life-saving impact.
The event saw the felicitation of 31 blood donors, including Gyan Chand Jain, who has donated blood an impressive 113 times.
Additionally, a voluntary blood donation camp held at the venue saw participation from 54 donors, further contributing to the noble cause.
The presence of key officials including Dr Indranoshee Das, director of ASBTC, Kamaljit Talukdar, director of Family Welfare, Dr Umesh Phaugcho, director of Health Services, and Dr Dipankar Baruah, officer in-charge Blood Centre, GMCH, added significance to the occasion.
