PRCS holds blood donation camp

Islamabad : The Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) organised a donation camp here in F-7 Markaz on Wednesday to help address serious shortage of blood amid depleted donations due to Coronavirus pandemic.

National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri was chief guest on the occasion. PRCS Chairman Abrar ul Haq and other senior officials were also present at the camp.

Speaking on the occasion, Qasim Khan Suri said thousands of people have lost lives to Covid-19; however, many more lives are at risk due to blood shortages. Patients at risk include those suffering from leukemia, thalassemia, hemophilia, anemia, or those undergoing critical surgeries or sustaining injuries in road accidents. He welcomed the PRCS initiative of setting up blood camps and urged all segments of the society to wholeheartedly help PRCS in this humanitarian cause.

Abrar ul Haq said, Pakistan has an additional requirement of blood supply because of a high number of thalassemia patients, adding that the challenge has magnified due to lack of blood donors amid Covid-19. “Estimates suggest that only 28 out of 10,000 people donate blood in Pakistan. Of these, only 11 percent of the donations are by people who don’t have a friend or family in immediate need,” he said. Abrar said educational institutions and industrial units have been the major source of blood collection and their closure in days of pandemic has severely impacted blood donations. However, since all schools, universities and other institutions have now reopened, it is time for urgent interventions to ensure uninterrupted supply of blood for those whose life depends on regular blood transfusions.