SPEECH OF HON'BLE GOVERNOR PUNJAB AND ADMINISTRATOR, UT CHANDIGARH, SHRI BANWARILAL PUROHIT ON THE OCCASION OF CHIEF GUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL LIFE SAVER AWARD CEREMONY AT LAW BHAWAN, SECTOR 37A CHANDIGARH ON MARCH 7, 2022

Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen

     

I am happy to be a part of the International Life Saver Award Ceremonyorganised to honour those who are associated with the altruistic cause of blooddonation.

      So, first and foremost, I wish to extendmy appreciation to all the NGOs of Punjab and Chandigarh for organising BloodDonation Camps under the International Blood Donation Campaign, SAMVEDNA. I believe your efforts haveprovided an impetus to the cause of promotion of blood donation by spreading awarenessamong the masses and connecting with them at grass root level.

     

I also appreciate the NationalIntegrated Forum of Artists and Activists (NIFA)  for organising this ceremony to       recognize the individuals, civic groups,organisations and corporations for their honorus work.

      I have been apprised that on the occasionof 90th Martyrdom Day of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru andSukhdev NIFA organised 1476 Blood Donation Camps across the country on March23, 2021 in which about one lakh unitsof blood were collected.  This is really commendable !

       

Ialso congratulate NIFA for the fact that in collaboration with Indian Red CrossSociety, National Blood Transfusion Council and other organisations they haveprovided a yeoman service in meeting the shortage of blood in the time ofCorona crisis.

      Friends,

     

Blood Donation is a vital part ofworldwide health care and the reason todonate blood is simple......"ItSaves life". As all of you present here are well aware that every two seconds of every day, someone needs blood. Sinceblood cannot be manufactured outside the body and have a limited shelf life,the supply must constantly be replenished by generous blood donors.

      Every healthyindividual should come forward for blood donation, specially the youth. 

Indiais a 'Young Country', we have thehighest number of youth than in any other country of the world. In such asituation, the responsibility of making the country self reliant in the fieldof Voluntary Blood Donation and ensuring that there is no death in this countrydue to lack of blood, rests greatly on the shoulders of the youth.  Donatingblood is donating life.

      The tradition of our great nation hasalways been "To Give". The history of India is full ofcountless tales of sacrifice and philanthropy.

 

दोस्तो,

            

त्याग और परोपकार की अनगिनत गाथाओं से इस देश का इतिहास भरा हुआ है। महर्षि दधीचि ने इन्द्र के मांगने पर अपने शरीर की हड्डीयां तक दान कर दी थीं, जिससे वज्र का निर्माण हुआ। राजा शिवि ने कबूतर की रक्षा के लिए अपने शरीर का मांस काटकर तराज़ू पर रख दिया तो भगवान श्री राम के पूर्वज राजा दलीप, गाय की रक्षा के लिए स्वयं को बलिदान करने के लिए तैयार हो गए। मानवता की भलाई के लिए सिद्धार्थ ने राजपाट त्याग दिया और वो गौतम बुद्ध हो गए। गुरू गोबिन्द सिंह ने देश व धर्म की रक्षा के लिए अपना पूरा परिवार कुर्बान कर दिया। 

         

Talking of recent history peoplelike Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave devoted all their lives to the service ofhumanity. So, we who belong to the same motherland have a moral duty to extenda helping hand to our fellow brethren.

बंधुओं,

दानवीरता के मार्ग पर बढ़ते हुए हम भी रक्तदान के लिए आगे आएं ताकि आपका और हमारा खून किसी की रगों में जीवन बनकर दौड़े और रक्त की कमी से कोई जान न जाए।

      

Friends,

      Despite many blood donation camps beingorganised nationally, India still stares at blood shortage of a whopping 1.95 million units per year.  During Corona period, situation even becamemore critical as due to social distancing and fear of infections very fewdonors came forward to donate blood. It is an irony that despite been a nationof more than a billion population we are unable to collect requisite units.Moreover, only 50% of the blood collected is from voluntary donors rest is fromreplacement donors. So, there are milesto be covered.....

      

As stated byWorld Health Organisation and International Federation of Red Cross and RedCrescent Societies, "Building a sustainable base of safe blood donorsrequires a long term approach. This requires not only the establishment of aneffective voluntary blood donor programme but also an improved public awarenessof blood donation as a social norm".

      I have been told that NIFA's campaign isnot limited to nationwide blood donation. In fact, mapping of blood donorsis on the anvil and in the second phase voluntary blood donors would be connectedacross the country through a specialwebsite and mobile app so thatin emergency, any needy can get blood and especially blood donors of rare bloodgroup can be identified.  This is indeed very thoughtful andpertinent.

      

I hope thatthe unique association of NIFA and various other organisations will continue toplay an active role in promotion of blood donation.

      Congratulations once again to all theorganisations associated with SAMVEDNA campaign. Continue with the extensiveblood donation campaigns and reinforce motivational perceptions to eliminate misbelievesassociated with blood donation. Blood collection centres should implementstrategies to improve donor retention and should aim to provide a pleasantdonation experience. The idea ofvoluntary blood donation needs to be intensively promoted.

      

So, let usall roll up our sleeves and continue proactively in this noble cause.

      May God shower his blessing in abundantmeasure on all those associated with promotion of blood donation.

 

Thank you,

JaiHind.