A man stands for another man and this fact has been proved through blood donation. As the medical science could not find an alternative to blood, only human beings can save the life of human beings by donating blood and that is the reason blood donation is the greatest of all donations, said chief minister Dr Manik Saha on Friday  while addressing a blood donation programme in Agartala.

 As the chief guest of the blood donation programme organized jointly by the Health department and Tripura State Blood Transfusion Council at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan , Dr Saha said, rising above all caste and creed, everyone should perform this humanitarian duty. Because, through blood donation one can have a divine feeling which cannot be expressed in words.

A special harmonious bond gets created between the donor and receiver. He said, with the blood donated by a person lives of 3-4 serious patients can be saved. During  the  last Assembly elections shortage of blood was observed in 12 government and 2 private blood banks of the state. With a view to redressing the issue the government appealed to all for organizing blood donation camps across the state. In response to the government’s appeal different government and private organizations, clubs and NGOs have been organizing blood donation camps, said Chief Minister and appreciated the efforts of organizations.

Speaking in the programme,  Health Secretary Kiran Gitte said, the department every year targets to collect 50,000 units of blood and 54 percent of which is collected through voluntary blood donation. This percentage has to be enhanced to 80-90 percent and clubs and NGOs have to play a greater role in it. Welcome address was delivered by the member secretary of Tripura State Blood Transfusion Council Dr. Biswajit Debbarma. In his address he said, in order to make the birthday of Karl Landsteiner who discovered the blood group system June 14 is observed as World Blood Donor Day. This year the state along with the rest of the country is observing the 20th World Blood Donor Day to create awareness about blood donation.

Among others were present, director of Tripura Health Services Dr. Sanjib Debbarma, director of Health and Family Welfare Dr.Anjan Das, Mission Director of National Health Mission (NHM) Rajiv Dutta and Project Director of Tripura AIDS Control Society Dr. Samarpita Datta. At the programme three “O” negative group donors have been felicitated for always coming forward to donate blood. Chief Minister Dr Saha handed over flower bouquet and plants to them and in the beginning of the programme the chief minister paid floral tribute to the portrait of Karl Landsteiner. CM also flagged off BCTV to District Hospital, Dhalai in this programme.