More than 1300 cities worldwide arranged events focusing on urbanization and health as part of the World Health Day, April 7, 2010. In Trivandrum, the capital of the Indian state Kerala, a local Rotary Club joined a blood bag company, a blood donor organization and a university campus in organizing a blood camp.
President R. Suresh Kumarof the Rotary Club of Trivandrum welcomed the gathering; the state's Health and Social Welfare Secretary, UshaTitus, inaugurated the blood camp; and Executive Director C.Padmakumar of the blood bag company Terumo Penpol Limited, who is a Past President of the Rotary Club of Trivandrum and the present Director of the club's International Service, delivered the keynote address.RC Trivandrum is part of Rotary District 3211.
This was the fourth time, the blood bag company in association with the Rotary Club of Trivandrum and the blood donor organization All-Kerala Blood Donors Society invited people to donate blood at the World Health Day. In organizing these years World Health Day blood camp in the state capital, the IMK-Adoor university campus also participated.
According to Public Relation Officer P.S. Baby from the blood bag company, the donors will be included in a new database of voluntary blood donors "for future use" in Trivandrum.
The blood camp, which was well-publicized in advance in the local media, papers, radio and television, attracted 157 voluntary donors. Blood was collected from 112 individuals.
Having seen the media reports, six tourists from England went to the blood camp at Hassan Marikar Hall and offered to give blood. Only one of the tourists was accepted as a blood donor, however. Although their generous spirit was much appreciated, stringent screening procedures resulted in rejections of the remaining tourist owing to age and diseases like diabetes and blood pressure problems. Some local female donors were rejected because of being either anaemic or under weight.
- Posters and leaflets on blood donation were distributed to the public, and banners displayed.
- Talk shows about voluntary blood donation were arranged at Kairali Television and Asianet.
- Newspaper articles related to the blood donation camp were published in the Indian Express and the Hindu.
- Dooradarshan, Manorama News, Asianet, Jeevan TV, Jaihind TV and Citi channel covered the official part of the blood donor camp.
- The newspapers Hindu, Manorama, Madhyaman, Janayugham and Indian Express Newspaper covered the blood donation event. The website expressbuzz.com also carried a blood camp story.
- The Red FM Radio, the official radio partner, visited the venue and interviewed three doctors and two regular donors.
Staffs from the blood banks of Sri Chithra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology, the Regional Cancer Centre and Medical College Hospital collected the blood from the voluntary donors.
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What the World Health Day was about:In her World Health Day address, published at the WHO website, Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Margaret Chan, pointed out among other things, that urban health is threatened by inequities. The Chinese WHO chief urged "municipal authorities, concerned citizens, nongovernmental organizations, and advocates for healthy living to take a close look at health inequities in cities and take action."
This year's World Health Day was included in the campaign 1000 cities, 1000 lives with events organized worldwide during the week of April 7 - 11, 2010.More than 1300 cities worldwide hosted activities focusing on urbanization and health.
Editor's footnote:
Click here to see the Blood Line Journal, May 2010.
Comments regarding this article may be mailed to editor@ourblooddrive.org.
See also news paper articles from the 2008 and the 2009 World Health Day blood camp in
Contact:
C. Padmakumar
Past President of the Rotary Club of Trivandrum
e-mail: pkumar@terumopenpol.com
Executive Director
Terumo Penpol Limited
Blood Bag Factory
Puliyarakonam
Trivandrum 695573
Tel:91-471-3052026/3052021
Fax:91-471-2379931
www.terumopenpol.com