Azad emphasizes need for achieving 100 percent voluntary blood donation

New Delhi, June 14 (ANI): Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday emphasized the need for achieving 100 percent voluntary blood donation, thereby ensuring that there is no shortage of safe blood in the country.

Azad, who inaugurated the upgraded Indian Red Cross Model Blood Bank here said there is a need to motivate young donors so that they are timely identified, motivated, recruited and retained as voluntary blood donors.

He honoured eight blood donors, who have donated blood for more than hundred times in their lives, on the occasion of World Blood Donors Day today.

Azad also inaugurated a Blood Donation Van given by NACO to Indian Red Cross.

The Health Minister said that transfusion of blood is an essential part of modern health care; hence a serious commitment is required for blood programme in terms of financial, technical and human resources.

"Safe transfusion requires social mobilization to promote voluntary health donation," said Azad quoting NACO figures i.e. seven donations per one thousand people per year whereas in developed countries 50% donate blood per thousand people in a year.

"Let the centurion donors act as role models to encourage others to come forward and donate blood," he added. (ANI)