Rotary Club of Phnom Penh, District 3350, has become a driving force in developing a national plan for voluntary blood donation in Cambodia. Members take pride in the great achievement of the club's Blood Drive Service Committee.
One of the members of RC of Phnom Penh, Rotarian Dr. Fil B. Tabayoyong, Jr. from the club’s Blood Drive Service Committee has assisted the National Blood Transfusion Center (NBTC) in crafting a proposed national legislation “to extensively promote, safeguard and strengthen a sustainable voluntary blood drive program throughout the country.”
In May, the National Blood Transfusion Center carried out a cooperative five year strategic planning session with both public and private partners “in order that the overall thrust and direction of the voluntary blood drive can be effectively met by sharing of resources.”
The target this year, according to the plan, calls for the country-wide collection of 60,000 units of blood from voluntary blood donors.
The contribution of RC of Phnom Penh was highlighted in the Cambodian capital during the celebration of World Blood Donor Day, June 14.
The National Blood Transfusion Center celebrated the World Blood Donor Day at Sofitel Phokeetra Hotel in Phnom Penh (picture). The Rotary Club of Phnom Penh's Blood Drive Service Project Committee was in attendance and there was and representation from academic circles, health development and faith-based organizations.
The National Blood Transfusion Center is an organization under Cambodia's Ministry of Health.
Dr. Hok Kimching, the NBTC Director, in his opening speech expressed its gratitude to the Blood Drive Service Committee of the Rotary Club of Phnom Penh “in always providing guidance and in continuing to mobilize voluntary blood donors from all sectors of Cambodian society.”
More than 600 attended the WBDD celebration in Phnom Penh which generated 207 volunteers who donated their blood to save lives and, thus, become heroes. This year's theme of the World Blood Donor Day was "Every blood donor is a hero."
Among the voluntary blood donors at the event, which was covered by the media, was Cambodia's Minister of Health, Professor Dr. Mam Bunheng (picture).
In his message Mam Bunheng detailed the achievements of the NBTC “in challenging and inspiring volunteers to donate their blood for a cause.”
The Minister of Health also emphazised that voluntary blood donation has been made a priority program of the government under Prime Minister Samdech Hunsen “exhorting all in the government to strongly support the program in order to address the acute shortage of blood in Cambodia.”
After years of isolation, the once war-ravaged nation of Cambodia was reunited under the monarchy in 1993 and has seen rapid progress in the economic and human resource areas. The country has had one of the best economic records in Asia, with economic growth averaging 6.0% for the last 10 years. Cambodia has a population of over 14.8 million people.
In a report to Global Network for Blood Donation, a Rotarian Action Group (GNBD), it says: “Under the leadership of the club’s new Community Service Projects Committee, spearheaded by Rotarian Peter Gray, Rotary Club of Phnom Penh continues to vigorously pursue its non-remunerated voluntary blood drive service program despite limited resources in partnership with the Royal Government of Cambodia's Ministry of Health-National Blood Transfusion Center (NBTC).”
Last year, the Rotary Club of Phnom Penh-Cambodia, District 3350 adopted the French Rotary Blood Drive logo and motto, "My Blood for Others" (Mon Sang Pour Les Autres).
Picture: Rotarian Dr. Fil B. Tabayoyong (right) talks to NBTC staff about obtaining proper personal
information of blood volunteers so that they could be registered in the national data base system for
blood donor volunteers.
CONTACTS:
Dr. Fil B. Tabayoyong, Jr., Blood Drive Service Committee, Rotary Club of Phnom Penh-District 3350. docfil@yahoo.com, http://www.rotaryclubpp.org/
Jean-Claude Brocart, Past District Governor, International Coordinator My Blood for Others, Rotary Club Toulouse-Ovalie, District 1700, France. jc.brocart@gmail.com
GNBD: editor@ourblooddrive.org