• Amsterdam Rotary Institute seminar ‘Rotary without Borders’

• TRF Cadre - Rotary Action Group leadership meeting

1. Advising about how to conduct community assessments.
2. Making recommendations about how to involve community stakeholders.
3. Giving advice about preparing a project plan and budget.
4. Guiding the creation of a monitoring and evaluation plan.
5. Offering direction on identifying partners and funding resources.
6. Gathering and distributing resources and the best practices on a specific topic.

1. Advising Rotary members who are planning or working on Rotary Foundation grant projects, especially on topics like community assessments, sustainability, and financial management.
2. Establishing monitoring and evaluation plans that safeguard Foundation funds, reviewing global grant applications, and evaluating projects on behalf of The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees.

1. Network of local subject matter and project experts.
2. Identifying resources to support clubs with their service goals, projects, or global grants.
3. Publicizing success stories and promoting the best practices.
4. Helping clubs find international project partners.

•  RAG BD Institutional Membership

1. Key responsibility for the blood supply and distribution is the local or regional licensed Blood Bank, Rotary supports (Service

1. Blood is a gift of life, not a commercial commodity (non-profit

1. Blood and plasma donors are volunteers (own free will, no

1. Blood and plasma donors shall be met with respect and dignity,

1. Blood and plasma donors shall be selected based on WHO and

1. Final responsibility for donor selection and blood collection is

1. Sharing the experiences with the RAG BD through Facebook and

• More news

• We have been approached by Rtn. Achille Safari of the RC Bunia Ville, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with the question to support (Global Grant) a Blood Bank project in the DRC in collaboration with a NGO named ‘Fraternité pour le Développement Integral’.

• We have also been approached by Rtn. Justin Ho Guo Shun from D3830, Philippines exploring the possibilities of a collaboration and partnership with the Asean Youth Organization which he serves as the Philippines Director.

• Continuation of registrations of new members to our RAGBD: 73 to date

• Many emails were exchanged with RI Board members to inform them and ask them for their suggestions

• Changing the name of our Rotary Action Group to comply with the new RI rules
  Global Network for Blood Donation became Rotary Action Group for Blood Donation
• Creation of a new logo for Rotary Action Group for Blood Donation, in collaboration with the design department of Rotary International

• Creation of a RAGBD Facebook group which today includes 2,318 members from 121 countries
  https://www.facebook.com/groups/2040560996047929/  
  Updates are daily and encourage discussion and information on the many Rotary blood collections around the world.

• Updates to our RAGBD website several times a week
  https://ourblooddrive.org/  
  We invite you to visit this site which contains a lot of useful information and highlights the various blood collections organized around the world.
• Mid-June we had our annual Board meeting, this time in a virtual format. The Board decided unanimously positive on 5 important proposals –
  • The updated Strategic Plan 2020-2024;
  • The retirement of five Board members;
  • The continuation of the current Board over the Rotary year 2020-2021, changing Executive offices June 2021;
  • The revised Blood Drive Handbook;
  • The financials 2018/2019
  • The board provided the membership in April an Aide Mémoire on COVID-19 and a useful guideline/recommendation how to mitigate COVID-19 infection to be shared with local or national blood supply organizations.
    Both informative documents were published on the RAG BD website and the Facebook.

• Continuation of registrations of new members to our RAGBD: 2358 to date

• Updating of our 2020/2024 Strategic Plan: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AseqK_qsboELhL1XUVb3eAyq9ekoOQ?e=ccRVFv

• Updating of our Blood Drive Handbook to help Rotary Clubs considering organizing a blood drive : https://1drv.ms/b/s!AseqK_qsboELhLwvhmQc2O8KNzC--g?e=av8f42

• Participation in a stand of House of friendship of the International Convention 2020 online

• The President Jean-Claude Brocart has been invited to present our main activities and particularly the ‘Mon Sang pour les Autres’ supportive actions in the Francophone world during the 2020 GETS/GNTS and Rotary Institute meeting scheduled for Amsterdam but changed into an on-line meeting. He will be present together with the Vice-President Cees Smit Sibinga to represent our RAG for Blood Donation and give a presentation  

• Many emails sent to Board members to inform them and ask them for their suggestions

• Sending to the Board of the Annual activity report in June 2020 for approval

Dear Rotarian friend,

You are a member of Global Network for Blood Donation and we congratulate you

Thank you kindly devote 3 minutes to respond to this short survey :

https://forms.gle/L8b4TR8U7FFHFhwC6

Its purpose is to better understand what you expect from our Rotary Action Group

We can then refine the strategic plan of our Rotary Action Group

Give blood, save life

Yours in Rotary

Jean-Claude BROCART

RC Toulouse-Ovalie, District 1700, France

Past-Governor 2004-2005

"Service Above Self"  Award of Rotary International

President 2019/2021 of Global Network for Blood Donation (a Rotary Action Group)

International Coordinator of My Blood For Others

+33 6 09 18 36 19

brocart.gnbd@gmail.com

www.ourblooddrive.org

Community members recently donated 233 pints of blood to Carter BloodCare for the Battle of the Badges Community Blood Drive — Weatherford fire versus police — to help with blood supply shortages.

The Weatherford Fire Department came out in the lead following the drive.

“It was a great year for Battle of the Badges. I believe we set a record on the total number of pints collected in the blood drive and that is the true objective in this ‘battle.’ Many people need to be recognized for their efforts. Ronn Hunn [Rotary Club] did an awesome job leading the group of organizers. Thanks to Rotary Club of Weatherford, Surepoint Emergency Center, South Main Church of Christ, Lakeshore Baptist Church, Golden Moon, Weatherford Democrat, Shep’s Place and North Side Baptist Church,” Weatherford Fire Chief Paul Rust said. “Also, special thanks to [Weatherford] Police Chief Lance Arnold. Chief Arnold has a passion to serve our community and he is a great friend. It is always fun to team up with him to promote a great cause for our community. Together we are committed to doing our part in building a strong community.”

The total number of pints per location were Surepoint Emergency Center, 14; South Main Church of Christ, 19; Lakeshore Baptist Church, 7; Golden Moon, 17; Weatherford Democrat, 10; Shep’s Place, 96; North Side Baptist Church, 56; and Carter BloodCare Center, 14.

“Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s Battle of the Badges blood drive. Never before have we had so much community support. This year topped all years with 233 pints donated. A special thank you to Chief Paul Rust and Chief Lance Arnold for rallying the troops and the community. To all our location sponsors, you did a great job. We intend to add more locations next year and shoot for over 300 points,” Ron Hunn with the Rotary Club of Weatherford said. “This blood drive and others are critical for the area wide blood supply. Most people do not realize that the demand for blood in this area is often more than 10,000 units per week. When blood is needed, patients need it now, and lots of it. The summer time is when the supplies get very low.”

Carter BloodCare Field Recruitment Consultant Colleen Horan said blood supply is always low in the summer months.

“This is due to the fact that we do not have large, high school blood drives happening. High school and colleges account for almost 30 percent of the total blood supply. This summer, we were especially low on blood, as was the entire country,” Horan said. “The Weatherford Battle of the Badges was a tremendous help in stabilizing the local blood supply. Ron and the chiefs outdid themselves this year by rallying so many people to come out and donate blood. They literally saved hundreds of lives in our community. Carter BloodCare and the patients we serve could not be more grateful.”

Arnold said the police department was grateful to participate in Battle of the Badges and help donate to the low blood supply crisis.

“Although the outcome did not favor the police department this year, it was great to see our mayor, city council, businesses, churches and our community members get behind such a great cause. The city did a great job of helping to advertise the event and the locations and the Rotary Club did an outstanding job, as always, of organizing and staffing the sites,” Weatherford Police Chief Lance Arnold said. “Our community members came through, as they often do, to really help our area with the low blood supplies. We, as a department, are grateful to be able to participate in such a worthy event.”

A consultant hematologist/acting executive secretary, Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service, Dr. Bodunrin Osikomaiya, has decried the dearth of blood in the country’s blood banks.

Dr. Osikomaiya spoke during a blood donation ceremony organised by the Rotary Club of Lagos, Palm Grove Estate, in partnership with Rotary District 9110, Securisk Insurance Brokers Limited and Indian communities at Palmgrove Estate in Ilupeju, Lagos. Many Nigerians now pay lip service to the humanitarian act of donating blood voluntarily, she lamented.

“While a lot of Nigerians pay lip service to the humanitarian submission of donating blood in spite of the World Health Organisation (WHO) directive that at least one percent of the population of every country would always need blood, hence the necessity for voluntary and regular blood donors. Few clubs of Rotary International, District 9110, comprising Lagos and Ogun states in conjunction with Indian communities in Lagos have decided to partner with Lagos State government and rid the blood bank in the state of the dearth of the essential human need,” she said.

According to Dr. Osikomaiya, more than 90 per cent of blood being donated in Lagos now is by husband donors or relatives of patients, which of course is in sharp contrast to voluntary and constant donors regarded to be the safest. She berated the existing system of husbands or relative of patients’ donation of blood, which she said is tantamount to coercion because without the pressing need of blood for their relatives, they too would probably not have submitted themselves to the exercise.

“This is like they are being forced to donate because their people need blood and this is not what we want.  They are simply donating for personal reasons.  What we want is voluntary and regular donation, which is the safest blood we need because such donors will not lie since it would have become their habit.  Since they will often come, there will be regular pool of blood storage in case of emergency.

“Going by the disclosure of WHO that one percent of the total population would always be in need of blood, we would daily need 230 units of blood in Lagos State alone, going by the current population of about 23 million people in the state. This is where the partnership of Rotary International and Lagos State government is highly commendable as they have come to the rescue of a lot of people that need blood,” she said.

The hematologist, however, pleaded with Nigerians to emulate members of Rotary International and Indian community to submit themselves voluntarily to this humanitarian practice. Dr. Osikomaiya premised child mortality and maternal mortality on availability of blood in blood bank, adding that a lot of pregnant women had passed away because of lack of blood.

To make blood donation hassle-free, students of the JC Bose University of Science and Technology, YMCA, have come up with a mobile app. “Named ‘Boond’, the app will enable direct contact between blood donors and seekers, thus reducing the time and hassles usually faced in emergency cases,” said a spokesperson of the university.

The university has announced to set up a data analysis lab to provide app maintenance services to the Trust. The app will soon be available on Google Play Store for Android users. It has been designed by Navdeep Kumar and Anisha Raheja, students of BTech (electronics) under the guidance Rashmi Chawla, assistant professor, department of electronics engineering. Rashmi said the app would be beneficial to those seekers who belong to very rare blood groups.

Mangaluru, Dec 8: A joint blood donation project of community service and youth service was conducted by Rotary Club here, Indian Red Cross Mangaluru chapter, Rotaract Clubs of SDM PG Center and Besant PG Center on Saturday December 8 at SDM college premises.

A brief inaugural program was held at the college conference hall. Dr Seema S Shenoy, director of SDM PG center welcomed the gathering. Traditional lighting of lamp was done. President Rtn Dr Vasanth Pai and Prabakar Sharma Retd Additional Dy Comm of DK district and secretary of Red Cross addressed the gathering.

Vote of thanks was delivered by Shreya Shetty president of SDM PG Rotaract Club. Dr Satish Kumar Shetty principal of Besant College, treasurer of Red Cross and IPP Rtn Vasanth Shenoy, Rotaract chairman Rtn Vinod D’Souza, Dr Jomon and Anupama staff co-ordinators, Rtr Shashwatha president of Besant Rotaract, Rtn Prof Gopinath, Rtn Madhav Suvarna and staff members and students of both institutions were present. A total of 51 units of blood were collected.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blood-donor-diary/id1422392023?ls=1&mt=8

Just a little fun to go with all of your hard work THANKS, Daniel K. Long, Sr.

African Industries Group (AIG), in collaboration with Rotary Club of Lagos Island, has held a blood donation camp at its Odungunyan office, near Ikorodu, Lagos. President of Rotary Club of Lagos Mr. Sanjeev Tandon, said blood is the gift of life and that everyone should be his brother’s keeper by donating blood. Mr Rocheet Abbi, Vice-President Dr. Sunit Deb Roy and Secretary Ms. Mamta Deb Roy represented Rotary while African Industries Group was represented by Mr. Ravi Sharma, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ikorodu Steel Mills (ISM) and Mr. S. Narayanan, the Chief Operating Officer (COO).

The voluntary donation began with a steady stream of donors. They were joined by African Steel Mills and African Foundries employees, who participated in large numbers. The camp was witnessed by Nigerian and Indian nationals with some returning to donate blood after a long time. They were enthusiastic. However, not everyone donated. Some were dejected after being turned back for lack of sufficient hemoglobin. Of the 137 people that registered, 109 were able to donate blood. Tandon described the exercise as a ‘record’.

It was heart-warming to see members of Rotary Club, Lagos attending in large numbers, despite their tight schedules. To show how committed they were about the exercise, they waited patiently for other donors beyond the camp timing to take their turns. African Industries Group contributes its best to the society through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) program. The company ensures that the event was a huge success.

The African Industries Group Limited, Agbara, Ogun State has partnered Lagos Island Rotary Club on free blood bank donation project in Agbara. The project is aimed at saving the lives  of those with such needs for blood during surgeries. The club, recently acclaimed the Rotary Mega Club of Africa, and the group are partnering as part  of  their  social  corporate  responsibilities to alleviate the suffering of the teeming masses, while identifying with their yearnings and expectations,  promptly and adequately.

The project, which held at the African Fertiliser and Chemical Nigeria premises, Agbara Ogun State, witnessed a very large turnout of willing free blood donors, who included the members of the club, led by its President, Sanjeev Tandon, as well as the club’s Vice President,  Projects, Sunit Debroy, the club Secretary, Mamta Debroy, the Treasurer Kisshore Bendre, and other club directors on various activities.

African  Industries Group Chief Operating  Officer, Mr  Srinivasan Narayanan and the Administrator in charge of African Fertilizer and Chemical, Mr Sandeep Gogia, were on hand to support the project.The event, which started about 10.00am, did not end until 5.30 pm, with 142 registered, while eligible 111 donors were screened by officials of  the state blood transfusion unit to authenticate  the blood donated.

Tandon appreciated contributions from the club, corporate bodies, as well as other notable individuals with passion to save lives through blood bank free donation project. He thanked Nigerians, Indians and others involved in the  exercise. The exercise was the second joint project to be executed by both Rotary Club of Lagos Island and the African Industries Group, Agbara Ogun State. The first was executed by the African Steel Mills and African Foundries Limited in Ikorodu Lagos State.

In a recent blood donation camp organized by Gurugram South City Rotary Club in association with Lions Club on the occasion world blood day, a large number of police personnel attended the camp and donated their blood. The blood donation camp held at the community centre of the police line in Gurugram where 169 units of blood were collected.

The chief guest of the function was Sandeep Kirwar and DCP Deepak Ghlawat inaugurated the camp. Besides the police personals, other officials of the police department, ladies and students also donated the blood. President of Gurugram Rotary Blood Bank Pawan Sapra and vice president BD Pahuja were also present. Addressing blood donors BD Pahuja said that he would like to convey his sincere gratitude to all the donors, doctors and well-wishers. Normally a person in the age group of 18-60 can donate blood four times in a year. By blood donation, one person can save life of several people.

Abhay Jain secretary of Gurgaon South City Rotary club said that blood cannot be reproduced artificially. Only a man can save another man by donation of blood. Young man and woman should donate blood every four months. Donation of blood also helps one to avoid disease as it creates new blood cell in the body and keeps one healthy and fit.

Present on the occasion were Vice president of Rotary club South Dinesh Agarwal, treasurer Munish Khullar, Praveen Sharma, Rajabala Sharma, Rita Kumar, Tulsi Das Salwa, Subhash Verma Satish Singla, Vinay Kumar, Jugn Verma and Kamya, Sahil Rana etc.

From doctors side, Sunil Taneja and his team offered their best of cooperation. Under the Rotary Blood Donation initiative Blood, donors can receive donor card, certificate and medal. In case of any blood requirement, they can procure the blood showing the card.

As part of its corporate social responsibilities, industrial giant Tolaram Group, in collaboration with Rotary Club of Lagos Island, has held a blood donation camp at its premises in Surulere, Lagos.

No fewer than 80 people that included Tolaram’s workers, Rotary members and residents of Eric Moore attended the event. At the end, over 90 pints of blood were donated.

Its General Manager (Finance) Mr Manoj Dhanuka said the camp was part of Tolaram’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives for its host community, even as he added that the gesture was aimed at complementing government’s blood bank initiative. He said the company also held a camp last month. He expressed his happiness to partner Rotary on the initiative.

Rotary Club’s President Sanjeev Tandon expressed satisfaction over Tolaram’s gesture. He said the aim of the club was to serve communities, adding that earlier Chellarams, Kewalram and Airtel had partnered Rotary. He said the company had done four camps out of the six he promised during his installation.

He urged Nigerians to imbibe the culture of blood donation, noting that the objective of the club is to inculcate in Nigerians this consciousness, saying that blood donation is common in India. “They should not entertain any fear in donating blood,’’ he said.

Tandon praised Chairman of Tolaram Group Mr Mohan Vaswani, who is also an honorary member of Rotary, adding that he has done well for the club and Nigeria through the camp and Ishk Limb Centre. He noted that since March 2009, it has given out over 11, 725 free limbs to Nigerians.

The club’s Vice-President Dr Sunit Debroy also urged Nigerians to donate blood. He said Christians should imbibe the exercise and see it as a form of giving tithe and offering. “If you donate blood, you save lives,’’ he added.

Rotary International District 9110 Awards and Recognition Committee Chairman Steve Bossey said: “The camp is good, very impressive. The turnout was good. This is essentially what Rotary is all about.’’

Driven by the noble motive of contributing towards saving precious lives, around 400 volunteers comprising students and faculty donated more than 400 units of blood at a blood donation camp organised by Chandigarh College of Education, Chandigarh Group of Colleges (CGC) Landran in association with PGIMER, Chandigarh and Rotary Club, Kharar. The camp was organized to highlight the importance of Blood Donation that helps save thousands of lives.

The Camp was inaugurated by Mr Karnesh Sharma (IAS) Director, Local Body, Punjab in the presence of Satnam Singh Sandhu, Chairman, CGC Landran and Rashpal Singh Dhaliwal, President, CGC Landran. Other dignitaries present on the occasion included Mr Kamaldeep Singh Tiwana, Chairman, Rotary Club, Mr. Gurmukh Singh, President Rotary Club, Arshdeep Singh, ICC U-19 Cricketer.

A team of doctors led by Dr. Hari Krishan Dhawan, Assistant Professor, Department of Transfusion Medicine, PGIMER Chandigarh conducted the camp which included pre medical tests and taking care of the various medical requirements at the camp

Reiterating CGC’s commitment towards sensitizing and inspiring students to serve the society, Satnam Singh Sandhu, Chairman, CGC Landran and Rashpal Singh Dhaliwal, President, CGC Landran, commended the spirit of the blood donors at the camp and also expressed their gratitude to PGIMER Chandigarh and Rotary Club Kharar for their support and cooperation in making the event a success.

The 16th edition of the Rotary Blood Donation Day is aiming to attract more diverse blood donors, particularly RhD negative donors, to maintain a sufficient reserve of the blood type in the city. To be held at the recreation area and exhibition hall of the Flower City Garden on March 25, the event aims to promote awareness of the blood requirements of hospitals and the significant benefits of blood donation to the public, to ensure that there is a sufficient supply of blood reserve in the city.

Data provided by the Macau- based Rotary clubs showed that there was a total of 13,053 residents who registered for blood donation in 2017, while the Macau Blood Transfusion Services collected 14,288 blood units – an increase of 151 blood units over the 2016 levels. However, 2017 suffered from an 8 percent decrease of registered RhD negative blood donors, and a decrease of 14.7 percent of RhD negative blood units.

RhD negative donors in Macau are rare; an average of 150 persons out of 1,000 Caucasians have this blood type and at this point it is imperative to reserve more RhD negative blood. According to the Rotary clubs, the Macau Blood Transfusion Services hopes that all sectors of the community in Macau will collaborate towards the aim of active participation in blood donation from all ethnic groups living in Macau. “It is important for people to be aware that there is a need for this type of blood in Macau,” said Fatima Ferreira, president of the Rotary Club of Macau, in a press conference held yesterday.

“The percentage is low so we have to bring awareness to this issue in the foreigner population,” she added, hinting that there was a decrease after the region’s handover in 1999. Ferreira said that the rotary clubs hope to see an increase in the number of blood donors during the Blood Donation Day. She added that they are hoping to see a diversity of nationalities participate in the annual event.

“We hope that we will have an increase but we can’t tell because sometimes people have already donated blood [right before] the event starts,” said the president. Since 2012, registered MSAR residents have been able to draw blood samples from the Macau Blood Transfusion Services to check their eligibility for bone marrow donations. Until December 2017,  a total of 963 residents registered as bone marrow donors. Some 921 of them successfully became either a bone marrow or blood stem cell donor. So far, only one donor has successfully donated bone marrow.

The Rotary Mega Club of Lagos Island in partnership with Kewalram Chanrai has held a blood donation camp in Lagos where they urged Nigerians to voluntarily donate blood to save lives.

The group at the just concluded 3rd edition of the Rotary Mega Club of Lagos Island District 9110 Nigeria/Kewalram Chanrai blood donation camp held at Headquarters, AFPRINT Compound 112-132, Oshodi – Apapa Expressway Isolo, Lagos, recorded 78 blood donors and realized 61 pints of blood after screening with help from the staff and equipment from the blood transfusion unit of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Alausa, Ikeja.

Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Kewalram Chanrai, Mr. Siva Subramanian; the Executive Director, Human Resources, Mr. Saibal Majundar; the wife of the President, Rotary Mega Club of Lagos Island, Geetika Tandon, the Club Secretary Mamta Debroy, among others pleaded to humanity to very heartily donate blood generously to save lives, especially the patients and other critical beneficiaries at the point of death, in surgical operations.

In addition, they reiterated the urgent need to join Rotary International, with a view to positively and gainfully expand its frontiers in humanitarianism while providing succour to the needy with their talents, treasures, time for devoted contributions, to happily improve the lots of others, as government alone could not provide all the heinous pressing demands and expectations, especially in the areas of effective, adequate health care service delivery and other pressing areas of continued human empowerment as well at all times.

The maiden blood donation camp was held on July 28, 2017 in conjunction with Airtel telecommunications at its Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos headquarters subsequently followed by the second project sponsored by the Club in conjunction with the Chellarams Plc at its Apapa-Oshodi Expressway Headquarters on September 29, 2017.

Members of the Rotary Club of Accra-Ring Road Central recently embarked on a nationwide blood donation exercise as a way of giving back to society to support the nation’s health sector.

The annual blood donation exercise is undertaken by the club to help tackle the problem of regular shortage of blood in the major health facilities in the country. It is the main reason why the club decided to embark on this noble cause which stems out of their cardinal virtues. Last year, the club’s partnership with the National Blood Bank was such a success, hence the repetition this year; though this time around in Greater Accra Region alone.

On Friday, November 24, 2017, Rotary Club of Accra-Ring Road Central organised its second annual blood donation exercise in partnership with the National Blood Bank, which took place at Accra Academy in Bubuashie. The exercise produced 178 pints of blood, which is on record as the largest ever to have happened in Greater Accra Region.

The President of Rotary Club of Accra-Ring Road Central, Tony Asare, stated that service to humanity comes in many forms but one which touches the health of the people and saves lives is a noble one. He used the opportunity to encourage the general public to help stock the National Blood Bank with enough blood in order to help save more lives. Today you donate to someone's life, tomorrow someone will donate to save that of a dear one of yours.

The event was to publicly acknowledge and appreciate voluntary unpaid blood donors and other stakeholders who have shown commitment to saving the lives of patients requiring blood transfusion therapy across the country. The ceremony which coincided with the National Blood Donor Day celebration and the launch of the annual blood donation campaign also provided the platform for increasing awareness about achieving the national supplies based entirely on voluntary unpaid blood donation and emphasize the need for timely access to safe blood and blood products at all times.

Williams King Adamptey from the Eastern Region won the national best donor prize for donating 57 times and was rewarded with a citation and a double door fridge. Christian Ababio from the Greater Accra Region, who had donated 53 times voluntarily, came in second and was rewarded with a citation and a deep freezer, while Maxwell Yaw Anokye who had donated 51 times from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) was third and got a citation and a flat screen television.

At the regional level, specifically the capital, Samuel Amissah, 49 donations, Winfred Dugbetey, 46 donations, Sam Frank Kweitecco, 45 donations took the first, second and third prizes, respectively. They also received citations and gifts. Elizabeth Kpogo from the Greater Accra Region took the best female blood donor ward with 33 donations, while Richard Adzigbe took the best youth donor award with 29 donations. Dr Ernest Aseidu, Head of Quality Management Unit of the Ministry of Health (MoH), lauded the organisers for the occasion, indicating it was important as it serves as a reminder for safe blood collections from regular voluntary blood donation sources.

He stated that although it is right for voluntary donors to be celebrated, it is important to note that the country's blood supplies still fall short of the units required by patients who need blood transfusion due to over reliance on family replacement system. “I would, therefore, like to use this occasion to appeal to all Ghanaians to accept voluntary blood donation as a civic responsibility and a duty to our society,” he underscored.

He said a move from the family replacement system “will enable us redouble our efforts to attain the 100 percent voluntary blood donation target by year 2020.” “Government is committed to achieving this target by prioritising the passage of the National Blood Service Bill to provide the requisite legal framework to accelerate progress towards its achievement,” he disclosed.

Dr Michael Ebo Acquah of the NBSG, who spoke on the theme for the celebration, 'Blood Donation in Emergencies', added that adequate supply of blood during emergencies requires a well-organised blood service and a blood donor population committed to voluntary unpaid blood donation throughout the year. “Only 36.2 percent of the 160,624 units of blood collected in 2016 were from voluntary blood donors, the rest 63 percent were from family replacement donors which is often known to be a hidden paid system that compromises the adequacy and safety of the national blood supplies of any country that depends on it,” he said.

Dr Acquah explained that the country can move away from the worrying situation if just one percent of Ghana's population commits to donating blood regularly. Mr Adotei Brown, Past District Governor, Rotary District 9102, in his remarks as the chair called on stakeholders to think of innovative ways of sustaining voluntary blood donations.

1. Donating Blood and/or
2. Donating $10 to their clubs Polio Plus club and/or
3. Solicit a sponsor to match funds for units (ie donate $10 per unit of blood collected)

Haribabu calls for more awareness among people about blood donation

Bhubaneswar : Today morning ROTARY Club of Bhubaneswar Heritage organized its 1st Blood Donation camp at country’s Premier Institute-Hotel Management (IHM), VSS Nagar, Bhubaneswar. As a part of its campaign for “SAVE BLOOD”, a Mega Blood Donation Camp was inaugurated by Chartered President Sri Debabrat Panigrahi. Among others Dr DK Swain, Principal of IHM, Dr Joydev Ghosh, Blood Bank Officer were present on the occasion being jointly organized by Heritage Club & IHM. President Dibya Ranjan Dash, Secretary BK Sahoo, PP Rtn Vinod Kumar, PP Bishnu Mohan Mohanty and Ann Mrs Vijaya Mishra also on behalf of Heritage participated in the camp. Being arranged on the occasion of 44th Foundation Day of the Nation’s premier Hotel Management Institute (IHM) Dr DK Swain welcomed Rotarian Guests and thanked them for organizing such a novel initiative by Heritage Club. About 120 units of blood were collected during the camp as students of the institute largely participated & encouraged the successful for holding of such mega blood donation camp.

A Poster Competition on the theme of Blood Donation Drive was also organized by IHM on this great occasion and 5 nos. of Awards were given away by Heritage Club to the winners of the said competition arranged here. President Dibya Ranjan Dash thanked Rotarian Dr DK Swain, Principal and his IHM Team for extending their novel hands for the good cause of the society to commemorate their Foundation Day. Besides he told that we have planned to collect about 2000 units of blood to be arranged in this year.

Community members came together at the Parkside Activity Center (PAC) March 13 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. to participate in the first of the Wellman Rotary Club’s sponsored blood drive, run by the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center (MVRBC). 

Donor Relations Consultant Chris Ciasto supervises the drive, along with 150 blood drives across Washington, Louisa, Johnson, Muscatine, and Cedar counties. There are about 35 more consultants like Chris across Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Missouri, where the MVRBC operates. 

Rayat- Bahra Ropar Campus added to its list of philanthropist tasks by organizing its Voluntary Blood Donation Camp in connection with celebrating the International Science Day.

Students from all colleges participated with great enthusiasm. The Camp was organized in association with with Punjab Health Systems Corporation, SGHS Charitable Hospital Sohana, Rotary Club Ropar and NSS Unit of RIEIT and Rayat Institute of Management.

It was inaugurated by, Deputy Commissioner Ropar shri Karnesh Sharma IAS& Chairman RBGI Gurvinder singh Bahra along with campus director Dr Suresh Seth. Dr R.S. Parmar, PDG Rotary Club Rupnagar and Dr Sneh Lata Badhwar, Principal Government College Rupnagar, were the Guest of Honor.

The Rotary Club of Venugram has embarked on a challenging task of organising a mega blood donation camp. They plan to collect 1000 units of blood and give it to Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences, Mahaveer Blood Bank and KLE Hospital on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.