Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated a Voluntary Blood Donation Campaign at AIIMS, New Delhi, on August 13, 2020. The camp, organised by AIIMS on the eve of Independence Day, is dedicated to both soldiers as well as COVID warriors who lost their life while safeguarding the country and its citizens. Two families were invited as guests of honor – one family of a martyred soldier and one family of a fallen COVID warrior of AIIMS.
Dr Vardhan inaugurated the blood donation camp by cutting the ribbon and lighting the lamp along with Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, and other senior doctors. He interacted with the blood donors and awarded them certificates for contributing to the blood donation drive. He also expressed satisfaction that all precautions were being ensured at the camp including arrangement of face shield, masks, gloves etc.
Appreciating the initiative taken up by AIIMS, Dr Vardhan said, “ This voluntary blood donation camp is a tribute to both fallen COVID white coat warriors and the Kargil martyrs. We must remember the ultimate sacrifice made by the COVID warriors including doctors, nurses or paramedical staff while saving people’s lives in the pandemic.” To mark the event, the family members of COVID warrior late Hiralal, who was a frontline health worker at AIIMS, and family members of Kargil Shaheed Lance Naik Rajbir Singh were honoured for their sacrifice, according to a PIB release.
Highlighting the importance of voluntary blood donation, Dr Vardhan said, “In view of COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions due to lock-down, and apprehension about hospital environment, the number of voluntary donations and blood donation camps saw a significant decline. Blood is required for emergency surgeries, blood disorders like thalassemia, blood cancers, and road accidents and trauma cases. Hence the best way to serve human kind is voluntary blood donation.”
On India’s fight against COVID-19, Dr Vardhan said, “India’s continuously rising Recovery Rate and progressively falling Case Fatality Rate have proved the success of the COVID-19 containment strategy followed by all States and UTs under the dynamic guidance of the Prime Minister. We have successfully ramped up our testing capacity which crossed more than 8.4 lakh milestone on August 14, 2020, with more than 1,450 testing labs spread across the country. I have confidence in the scientific developments taking place in the field of treatment and vaccine for COVID-19 and soon India will achieve more success in our fight against COVID-19.”