On the occasion of World Blood Donors’ Day, a number of programmes and drives will be held across the city on Sunday.
The Prathama Blood Centre has organised events across the city, including blood donation drives and vaccination programmes to be conducted at five venues — Dev Arc Mall, 10 Acre City Mall, Himalaya Mall, Prathama In-House and the Jain Digambar Samaj at Ghatlodia.
The events scheduled on Sunday include the launch of hepatitis-B vaccination and ‘beat anaemia’ programmes for regular blood donors. The Centre has organised a drawing competition for children on the theme of voluntary blood donation and a singing competition for the relatives of blood donors. There will be a talent show for the latter and a lucky draw will be held for regular blood donors.
Hepatitis-B vaccines will be administered and iron tablets will be distributed on Sunday as part of the launch of the two aforementioned programmes for the safety
and health of blood donors. These will be conducted at the Prathama In-House.
The global theme for this World Blood Donors’ Day lays renewed emphasis on improving the safety and sufficiency of blood supplies through the achievement of 100 per cent voluntary non-remunerated donation of blood and blood components. Ahmedabad ranks first in the country among cities with the highest number of blood donors.
The Satya Sai Seva organisation, which holds around 100 camps every year in collaboration with Red Cross, will conduct drives at Azad Society, Vejalpur and Maninagar on Sunday. “World Blood Donors’ Day is of not much significance to us as we conduct camps on a weekly basis and encourage people to join the noble cause of donating blood,” a member of the organisation said.