‘World Blood Donors Day’ was marked: Punjab increasing capacity of blood banks

LAHORE: With the theme-20 years of celebrating giving: thank you, blood donors, ‘World Blood Donors Day’ was marked here Friday like other parts of the globe with a resolve to raise awareness about the need of safe blood and blood products to save lives.

To mark the day, different events including seminars, walks and other gatherings were held in which the participants highlighted the importance of blood donation asking people to donate blood to save precious lives. An awareness walk was organized in the Institute of Blood Transfusion under the leadership of Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique.

Prof. Shabnam Bashir, Dr. Amna, Dr. Jawaria and other faculty members were present on this occasion. Children suffering from thalassemia also participated in the walk.

Speaking on the occasion, Khawaja Salman Rafique said that the main objective of today's awareness walk is to raise awareness among the people. “Punjab government is trying to ensure safe treatment of patients in hospitals across the province,” he said, adding: “We are increasing the capacity of blood banks at the district level.”

Khawaja Salman further said that the Punjab Thalassemia program is going on successfully and the Institute of Blood Transfusion is going to be upgraded. He said that illegal blood banks will not be allowed to operate across the province. There is a need to ensure the supply of clean blood in Punjab, he said.

Moreover, a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Law and Order was held to finalize the Eid al-Adha security plan. Provincial Health Minister and Chairman Cabinet Sub-Committee Khawaja Salman Rafique presided over the meeting, which was attended by the provincial Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman and Transport Minister Bilal Akbar Khan also attended.

The law and order situation in the entire province and the security arrangements on Eid-ul-Adha were reviewed.

On this occasion, the minister Khawaja Salman said that fool-proof security arrangements should be ensured from cattle markets to Eid prayers.

Prohibited organizations active on Eid-ul-Adha will be brought under the law, he said. During the Eid holidays, the control room of the Home Department will take reports from all over Punjab while the police and district administration should implement the government orders regarding Eid. All the arrangements are complete and the force has been deployed, he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024