15-day blood donation camp kicks off; 100k participate on first day

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya was among the 100,506 people who donated blood, and created a world record, on Saturday as he kicked off a 15-day nationwide voluntary blood donation drive on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya was among the 100,506 people who donated blood, and created a world record, on Saturday as he kicked off a 15-day nationwide voluntary blood donation drive on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.

**EDS: HANDOUT PHOTO MADE AVAILABLE FROM PIB** New Delhi: Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya donates blood at a blood donation camp in Safdarjung Hospital, as a part of 'Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav', in New Delhi on Sept. 17, 2022. (PTI Photo)(PTI09_17_2022_000076B) (PTI)

“With more than 87,000 (87,137) people voluntarily donating blood in a single day (as per provisional reports till 7:40 pm today), the country has surpassed the previous best of 87,059 (2014) to create a new world record today,” the health ministry said earlier.

“New World Record! I am delighted to announce that today, on the occasion of prime minister narendra Modi’s birthday, under #RaktdaanAmritMahotsav, more than 87000 people donated blood voluntarily, which is a new world record. This is a priceless present from the country to its principal servant,” tweeted Mandaviya.

The Union health ministry hoped to match the tremendous response it received last year during a day-long special vaccination drive held on the PM’s birthday that saw nearly 25 million Covid-19 vaccine doses administered across the country— a single-day record still unmatched.

On Saturday, blood donations took place at 6,150 camps approved by the Centre across the country. Nearly 170,000 people have registered for voluntary blood donation on Union government’s recently created blood donation portal— www.eraktkosh.in.

“The campaign aims to increase awareness regarding regular non-remunerated voluntary blood donations and ensure that blood or its components (whole blood/ packed red blood cells/plasma/platelets) are available, accessible, affordable and safe,” said Mandaviya.

As per 2021 government statistics, India’s annual requirement is around 15 million units of blood. In every two seconds, a patient in India needs blood and one out of every three people will need blood in their lifetime, said the health minister. “Despite the technological advancements, there remains no alternative to blood and one unit of blood can save as many as three lives,” Mandaviya added.

The voluntary blood donation drive, Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav — which will be held till October 1, which marks the National Voluntary Blood Donation Day — aims to collect close to 100,000 units of blood in a day. A unit of blood translates to around 350 ml of blood.

The drive is part of the government’s series of activities planned under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to mark the 75 years of India’s independence.

Besides the e-raktkosh portal, voluntary donors can register on the register on the Aarogya Setu app as the government has made some changes to the application to include an option for donor registration.

According to officials in the health ministry, India has a capacity of storing at least 150,000 units of blood in its close to 4,000 blood banks spread across the country.

The e-raktkosh portal is expected to act as a national repository of blood donors that will ensure a robust record of blood donors and will expedite blood availability when in need, officials added.