June 14 is World Blood Donor Day and countries across the world celebrate it annually to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood. Noted Singer from Kolkata, Soumita Saha has started a social initiative to raise awareness about Blood Donation across the country. In this campaign, she requests everyone to donate blood at least once a year.
In her words, “I nurture immense appreciation and respect for Blood Donors. We might be oblivious to the fact that every two seconds a unit of blood is required by people around the world. I think it is definitely a very good thing to celebrate World Blood Donor Day on Karl Landsteiner’s birth anniversary. I am happy that like every other country India is also celebrating World Blood Donor Day”.
World Blood Donor Day is one of eight official global public health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization (WHO). The theme for this year’s World Blood Donor day is “Give Blood. Give Now. Give Often”, which focuses on blood donation in emergency situations.
Soumita who has done several music albums and TV shows says that, “Blood donation is an extremely munificent deed and every healthy adult must do that. No matter how self-centered a person is or how covetous they are on daily basis, when it comes to saving life of other people we all experience a wonderful satisfaction that of being the source of vital to the survival of another human being”.
World Blood Donor Day with Soumita Saha
“Blood is the most precious gift that someone can offer. A decision to donate your blood can save several lives. Just 20 minutes of your time and 250 ml blood can make the difference between life and death. If you are a blood donor you are actually a hero to the person whose life you saved. There is constant need for regular blood supply because blood can be stored for only a limited time”, she adds.
Blood transfusion is an essential component of emergency health care. Emergencies increase the demand for blood transfusion and make its delivery challenging and complex. Adequate supply of blood during emergencies requires a well-organized blood service, and this can only be ensured by engaging the entire community and a blood donor population committed to voluntary unpaid blood donation throughout the year.
Regular blood donation by sufficient number of healthy donors is required to ensure sufficient supply blood 24×7. Women with complications of pregnancy such as ectopic pregnancies and hemorrhage during child birth have immense need of blood. Even in cases of severe accidents people face instances of desperately requiring blood in order to save patient’s life.
Soumita says, “Honestly, this not what I actually felt about blood donation a couple of years ago. I know it is true ,we do not learn anything in real unless we face it. A couple of years ago my uncle was admitted to hospital then we went through such instances of desperately needing blood in order to save his life . I do not remember where but I remember a caption that said ‘Tears of a mother cannot save her child, but your blood can’. I took me a few seconds to read but it actually took an year to get its real meaning. My uncle was fighting for life in hospital bed and hospital authorities initially informed us about shortage of blood in the blood bank. Somehow they arranged for it. I realized that somewhere someone donated blood and it is because of his munificent deed my uncle’s life was saved. I know every healthy adult should attempt to donate blood every six months. Till the age of 19 to 22, I donated blood only once, but after my uncle’s illness and the situation we faced I have been donating blood every six months. I would love to thank that anonymous savior who saved my uncle’s life by donating blood. I would request every healthy adult person to donate blood at least once a year”.