The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Stone laid for blood bank building

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Saturday, Dec 06, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Stone laid for blood bank building

Special Correspondent

Governor calls upon people to donate blood and save lives of those in danger

Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

Noble effort: Collector Sanjay Kumar, State secretary of Red Cross A. Lakshmana Rao, Governor N.D. Tiwari and VSP CMD P.K. Bishnoi at the foundation stone laying of blood bank building at Indian Red Cross Society in the city on Friday. —

VISAKHAPATAM: Governor N.D. Tiwari on Friday gave a call to donate blood and save the lives in danger as there was ‘no difference of caste, creed or colour’ for blood.

Addressing a meeting after laying the foundation stone for a Rs.1.99 crore Blood Bank building on the premises of the local chapter of Indian Red Cross Society here, he pointed out blood was required to save the injured during natural calamities. Scientific studies have identified as many as 22 States as multi-disaster regions in India.

Also, 57 per cent of the land in India was prone to earthquakes. The increase in use of vehicles also led to increase in accidents, and hence the need to keep blood banks, he observed.

The Governor also commended the efforts of the Chairman and Managing Director of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, P.K. Bishnoi and described the latter as a good humanist and social worker. Mr. Bishnoi had sanctioned Rs.2.8 crores as part of VSP’s corporate social responsibility activity to set up six blood banks in various places, Mr. Tiwari disclosed and hoped these would bridge the demand-supply gap to some extent. He also noted that the new building would see increasing the capacity of the bank from 7,000 units to 15,000 units.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Bishnoi said that the donors were not willing to donate the blood to meet the required need. He appealed to the youth to come forward to fill the gap.

Former Chief Justice and Secretary of State chapter of IRCS, A. Lakshmana Rao said the main aim of IRCS was to save the life and health of people. Andhra Pradesh stood first with regard to blood donations, he revealed and added that both public and private organisations were coming forward to supply blood to remote areas.

District Collector and president of Vizag chapter of IRCS, Sanjay Kumar, complimented Mr. Bishnoi for making the dream of the Governor come true. At present, the demand-supply gap for blood in the district was 15 per cent, he said and hoped that the new building would not only help fill the gap but also store an additional ten per cent.

Later, the Governor gave away mementos to persons who helped conduct volunatary blood donation camps and collected blood for banks. City Commissioner of Police N. Sambasiva Rao, Joint Collector Satyanarayana Reddy, District Revenue Officer K. Madanmohan, District Medical and Health Officer J. Sarojini and others attended.

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