200 regular blood donors honoured

Nilufar Yeasmin, a university student, needs to have a blood transfusion every month as she has been suffering from thalassemia, a disease which destroys red blood cells, since she was two-and-a-half-year-old.

But she is recovering gradually because of some kind-hearted people who helped the 21-year-old by donating their blood several times.

More than 200 such donors were honoured by Quantum Foundation, a private organisation campaigning for voluntary blood donation, yesterday at the capital's Jatiya Press Club.

Each of the donors, who donated more than 10 and 25 times through the foundation, was given a certificate, crest, medal and special ID card.

Sharing her experience, Nilufar said, “I had to depend on blood donors for transfusion to control my disease. My sufferings would become unbearable if they did not donate."

“Thousands of thalassemia patients like me are dependent on the donors. So please don't stop donating your blood to save our life,” she said, addressing the donors across the country.

Samina Mustarin, a donor, said giving blood was not a difficult task as anyone could do it if they wanted to help people.

Speaking as a special guest, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Kamrul Hasan Khan said blood donation was a noble work that saved lives.

“We need around 10 lakh bags of blood every year, and it can be managed by motivating people towards voluntary blood donation,” he said.

“There will not be any crisis of blood, if at least one crore out of the 16 crore people donate once a year.”

He also appreciated Quantum Foundation's contribution in the blood donation campaign and such an initiative to honour the donors.

Dr Nizamuddin Ahmed, an adviser of Quantum Foundation, said any physically sound person could donate blood every three months, and it would not create any negative impact on their health.

Madam Nahar Al Bukhari, chief coordinator of Quantum Foundation, also spoke at the programme.