Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)
Udupi, Jun 16: Udupi district authority organized ‘World Blood Donors Day 2015’ on Tuesday June 16 in association with Karnataka state aids prevention society, Bengaluru, Bharatiya Red Cross Society, Udupi branch, district aids control and prevention control unit, Udupi, government physician organisation, Udupi branch, blood bank district hospital, district legal service authority, Udupi, city nursing school, Udupi, Vidyaratna College of Nursing, Mithra Nursing School, Udupi and Dhanvanthari Nursing College at Atal Bihari Vajpayee auditorium, Rajathadri Manipal.
A blood donation camp was also conducted on the occasion.
In his inaugural address, the district and sessions judge Shivshankar B Amarannavar said, "Blood donation is a more noble deed than annadanam as there is no alternative for blood. On being inspired by a family doctor through an incident in his life, I began donating blood every year. Donated blood saves four lives and reduces cardiac arrest".
MLA Promod Madhwaraj said, "There is a complaint that the district hospital blood bank has not enough stock. Youngsters are ready to donate blood but the officials need to approach them".
Dr Nikhin Shetty, district AIDS control officer brought to light the scarcity of blood in the country. "We get 90 lac units of blood every year but our country demands 1.30 lac of units. So the country is facing a scarcity of 40 lac units. Nearly 1% volunteers come forward to donate blood, but Udupi district tops in the state’s rank and collects more than 2% every year."
Blood donors who donated blood maximum number of times were felicitated during the campaign. They were Chidananda Shenoy (67 times), Vinuta Kiran (27 times), Anil Kumar and Uday Kumar Shetty (16 times), Sudanava Shetty and Shushant Lawrence (since the age of 18).
Additional commissioner Kumar, R Mahendra, district surgeon, Basrur Rajiv Shetty, Rohini, DHFWO and others were present.
Nikhin Shetty welcomed the gathering, Subrahmanya Serigar delivered the vote of thanks. Manjunathaiah and Prashanth Shetty compered the programme.