Centre to organise 15-day blood donation drive from Sept 17

The Union health ministry will organise a mega blood donation drive for 15 days starting September 17 – on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday. The drive will continue till October 1 when the country observes national voluntary blood donation day.

The event is being organised under ‘Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav‘. The ministry has launched a digital platform – E-Rakt Kosh portal – where people can register themselves to become a part of the donation drive. Additionally, Arogya Setu – the Covid 19 tracing app, is open to register for the drive.

An official reported that there is an expectation to create a world record based on the donations. The official also said that the country is equipped to store the blood units as there are more than 3,900 blood banks in the country.

Every blood bank is being encouraged to organise at least one blood donation camp as part of the mega drive, officials said. So far 3,600 blood banks have been linked with the e-Raktkosh portal.

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The main purpose of the drive is to create a repository of voluntary blood donors so that anyone in need can help on time and minimise the need for replacement blood donation, officials added.

One unit of blood amounts to 350 ml and a healthy person has 5-6 litre of blood in the body. According to rules, one can donate blood after every three months.

(With agency inputs)