Yenepoya Blood Centre hosts awareness event
Mangaluru, June 16, 2025: The Blood Centre of Yenepoya Medical College Hospital (YMCH), Deralakatte, commemorated World Blood Donor Day 2025 with an impactful programme held at the EMD Auditorium on the Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) campus. The event aimed to promote awareness about the importance of voluntary blood donation and highlight its life-saving significance.
Expert voices on safe blood donation
The event was inaugurated by Dr. Khathija Dilshad MP, District TB & AIDS Control Officer. In her keynote address, she highlighted the need for safe practices and community involvement in blood donation. She shared that while the district’s annual requirement stands at approximately 1% of the population, the collections have reached nearly 3%. However, due to the district’s role as a tertiary care centre catering to patients from neighbouring areas, shortages still persist.
Dr. Khathija encouraged the public to motivate family and friends to donate blood voluntarily at least four times a year. She also spoke about the health benefits for both donors and recipients, stressing the importance of routine participation.
Address by hospital leadership
Dr. Habib Rahaman A.A, Medical Superintendent of YMCH, emphasised the critical role of voluntary donors. He reminded attendees that World Blood Donor Day also commemorates the birth anniversary of Karl Landsteiner, the Austrian scientist who discovered the ABO blood group system.
He noted, “Blood is irreplaceable — only blood can replace blood.” Dr. Rahaman also addressed common myths in India, such as fears of weakness or the misconception that women cannot donate, urging a collective effort to promote blood donation awareness.
Programme activities and recognition
The programme began with a welcome address by Dr. Vidya Rekha R Kamath, Chief of the YMCH Blood Centre, followed by the presentation of the Blood Centre’s Annual Report for the calendar year 2024. The report highlighted key milestones, donor statistics, and achievements.
A pledge-taking ceremony was held to reaffirm commitment to voluntary donation and safe transfusion. Blood donor organisations were felicitated for their consistent contributions. Prizes were also distributed to winners of various competitions aimed at students, including poster-making, reel creation, and elocution contests.
In the days leading up to the event, a Voluntary Blood Donation Week was observed from June 9 to June 15, drawing enthusiastic participation from volunteers across the region.
Concluding remarks
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Vidya Rekha R Kamath, who expressed gratitude to the supporters, organisers, and participants. The event reinforced the commitment of Yenepoya’s Blood Centre to promote safe blood donation and honour voluntary donors.
