IMPHAL, Oct, 1: The Association of Voluntary Blood Donors’ (AVBD) Manipur in collaboration with MACS organized a Voluntary Blood Donation Camp in connection with the National Voluntary Blood Donation day at the premise of the DM College of Arts, Imphal.
A total of 318 blood units have collected from the voluntary blood donors. The blood donation today camp saw a lot of youths participating in blood donation which is an encouraging indicator of voluntarism and awareness said Pradeep Kumar Jha, Project Director, Manipur State AIDS Control Society (MACS) who further stated that “We are gradually overcoming the past misbelieve associated with blood donation, everyone should come out and donate bloodâ€.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. L. Tomcha Khuman, President AVBD, Manipur said that voluntary blood is the safest blood however the lack of donor organizations in the state has led to less donors. At present only ten percent (10%) of the required blood comes from voluntary donors while the rest comes from family members and friends of patients who need blood. AVBD is the first donor organization in the state and since its inception in June this year has been able to mobilize three blood donation camps including the camp held today.
The State Red Cross Society in collaboration with MACS also organized another blood donation camp at RIMS, Imphal. Speaking on the occasion, Kh.Jadu, State Blood Co-ordinator, State Red Cross Society said that awareness and motivation is crucial for people to come out and donate blood. The Society reportedly organizes four blood donation camps a year and has four units in six districts of the state to conduct awareness and mobilize donors.
Further, the release stated that as part of encouraging and motivating the volunteers of blood donation, ten donors were chosen through lottery and presented a music system each. The prizes were distributed by Prof.Y.Mohen, Superintendent, RIMS and Dr.M.Lala, General Secretary, State Red Cross Society.
It may be mentioned that, while, 160 volunteers donated bloods at RIMS, 158 volunteers at DM College of Arts, Imphal today.
On the other hand as per the official report recieved, Manipur state is having three blood banks at the RIMS, JN Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) and District Hospital Churachandpur, from April 2008 to March 2009, 20,458 units were collected out of which only 1,889 are voluntary donations. Manipur along with other state like Punjab, UP and Bihar are among some states who are low performing in terms of voluntary blood donaion.
The official report further revealed that, Nationally in 2009-10 eight million units of blood have been collected so far. This is against a national target of 8.5 to 10 million units. The proportion of voluntary blood donation has been steadily increasing over the year. In 2007-08 the proportion was 59 percent which increased to 62 and 70 percent in 2008-09 and 2009-10 respectively.
It is also further mentioned that over the year sero-reactivity among voluntary blood donors has been decreasing with 0.3 percent prevelance of HIV in 2007-08 and 0.2 in 2009-10, syphilis 0.3 percent in 2007-08 and 0.2 in 2009-10. Prevelance of Hepatitis-C however has remained constant at 0.4 percent during the period, the official report added.