Blood donation drive a big hit

Vijayawada: Blood donation camps organised by The Hans India, HMTV and Kapil Group of companies across Andhra Pradesh on Sunday evoked huge response with hundreds of donors voluntarily coming forward to donate blood at camps set up at the Red Cross blood banks. Braving scorching heat, which was around 40 degrees Celsius in many parts of the state, people donated blood for use for others who are badly in need of it.

The blood donation camps were organised by the Media Group in Association with the Indian Red Cross blood banks where all facilities are available for collection as well as storage. Several hundred donors who visited the blood banks praised the initiative taken up by The Hans India, HMTV and Kapil Group of companies.

A cross section of people, political leaders, doctors, representatives of NGOs, students, employees, volunteers of NSS, NCC Cadets and others donated the blood. In Vijayawada, Kapil Kosta chits Managing Director Ch Varaprasad inaugurated the blood donation camp at the Rotary Red Cross Blood bank in Gandhi Nagar.

Speaking on the occasion, Varaprasad said blood donation is very important social service and it can save the lives of people who badly need blood in emergency cases. He said The Hans India, HMTV and Kapil Group have organised the event with a noble cause of helping the people and creating awareness among the people about the importance of donating blood. Red Cross society Chief Medical Officer Dr S Madanmohan supervised the camp. In all, 74 persons have registered their names for donation.

In Vizag, the camp was inaugurated by Managing Director of Kala Hospitals Dr PV Ramana Murthy in the presence of Secretary, Indian Red Cross Society, Visakhapatnam Chapter KVRK Raju and Media Officer of Indian Red Cross Society SKL Rao. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ramana Murthy explained the importance of donating the blood. As many as 55 youths donated blood during the day-long programme. Former DMHO Dr GV Subba Rao, Deputy General Manager, The Hans India KVM Prasada Rao and Manager Circulation BVR Sastry supervised the camp.

In Tirupati, SV University Vice-Chancellor Prof A Damodaram inaugurated the camp and explained the benefits of donating the blood. He has called upon the people to participate in the camps and donate blood to save lives of other people. Kapil Group Regional Manager P Mallikarjuna underlined that blood is needed to any person in emergency irrespective of caste, creed or religion and these type of camps will motivate people on the importance of blood donation.

In Nellore, Agriculture Minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy inaugurated a mega blood donation camp at Indian Red Cross Society at Madras Bus Stand here on Sunday. He underlined the need of community participation on donation of blood. The Minister praised the efforts of the Media group that shouldered huge responsibility to support through blood donation and especially congratulated the staff members who donated the blood as part of the programme.

Executive Director of Kapil Chits V Srinivas said the Group had organised the mega camp across the state on Sunday involving all politicos, community people and other interested groups for creating awareness on blood donation and the staff members also donated blood.

He said the Kapil Group has recently taken up the similar programme in Telangana recently for which the Governor had honoured with an award. Nearly 30 donors have donated blood during the programme. Corporators Rajesh, Syam, TDP leader Kamalakar Reddy, Medical Officer from the IRCS Dr Syed Rafeeq Ahmed, motivator B Bhaskar Rao, and other staff members participated in the programme.

The blood donation camps also exposed the cases of diabetes, hyper tension and related cases in the urban areas of the state. Doctors who participated in the donation camps have identified dozens of cases of hypertension and diabetes in cities like Vijayawada, Vizag, Tirupati, Kurnool, Guntur and other places.

In Kadapa, the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) Kadapa district unit chairman A Pitchaiah Choudary and Kapil Chits Kadapa branch Assistant General Manager M Bayyapu Reddy inaugurated the event and explained the value of blood to the needy particularly the patients and accident victims. Dr Ramesh Babu said there was only 3 per cent of people donating blood following various apprehensions in propaganda over donating blood.

In Ongole, the camp was inaugurated by the chairman for the Prakasam district unit of Indian Red Cross Society, Dr Gundavarapu Raghava Rao, and STEP CEO Dr B Ravi. The vice chairman of Zilla Parishad, Prakasam district Dr Nukasani Balaji graced the occasion. In Guntur blood donation camp evoked huge response. Zilla Parishad chairperson Shaik Janimun inaugurated the camp at the Indian Red Cross Society, in the ZP campus in Guntur city on Sunday.

Guntur Cooperative Urban Bank Limited chairman Bonaboina Srinivas Yadav, Indian Red Cross Society, Guntur administrative officer J Ramesh Swarna and others spoke on the occasion. Later, Red Cross Society administrative officer J Raghbu Swarna, Hans India, marketing officer Ch Subba Rao, felicitated Shaik Janimun and Bonaboina Srinivasa Yadav and presented mementos. In all, 43 persons donated blood on the occasion in Guntur.

In Kakinada, Mayor Sunkara Pavani, BJP East Godavari district president Yenimireddy Malakondyya are among those who donated blood at the blood donation camp organised at Red Cross Blood Bank in Kakinada. In Kurnool, young industrialist, TG Bharat lauding the novel initiative of blood donation camps said blood camps are need of the hour to be organised extensively across the district.

He was the chief guest of the programme at the Red Cross Society in the city. Kapil group Executive Director, Sampath Kumar, staff, Indian Red Cross Society member Srinivasulu and others spoke on the occasion and lauded the novel service of The Hans India.

By Hans Team