Blood donation drive among events to mark PM’s birthday

A number of events will be held across the country on Saturday on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 72nd birthday, including a mega blood donation camp organised by the Union health ministry at New Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital as part of the countrywide Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav.

Also Read: PM Modi has a packed schedule on his birthday. Check details here

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya is scheduled to visit the camp which will be held in a makeshift hospital inside the Safdarjung Hospital premises. The camp will begin at 10am.

“Countless precious lives can be saved with your contribution. Take the pledge to donate blood and be a part of our mission for humanity,” Mandaviya tweeted. Health ministry had announced on September 12 its plans to launch a mega voluntary blood donation drive on Modi’s birthday (September 17).

The voluntary blood donation drive will go on till October 1, which is the national voluntary blood donation day.

The government has created a web portal— eRaktKosh.in— to facilitate the process. Apart from Delhi, blood donation camps will also be held in other states such as Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Karnataka.

Other events in Delhi include exhibitions depicting the personality of the Prime Minister, and book stalls selling Modi@ 20, a book on the PM’s 20 years in public office, are being organised by the Haryana government.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold events in several states. Apart from blood donation camps in every district, the Madhya Pradesh unit of the BJP will ensure 100% implementation of the Centre’s schemes through household surveys under a programme called Seva Pakhwada. Haryana BJP has also planned to organise at least one programme a day till October 2.

In Rajasthan, the BJP has planned various district-level programmes-- ranging from blood donation camps to free health check-up camps and distribution of artificial limbs and equipment -- over 15 days

The party’s Himachal Pradesh unit will organise programmes till October 2, including blood donation camps and tree plantation drives. In Chandigarh, the local BJP unit will plant 4,000 saplings and hold a free health camp.

In Karnataka, the government will launch a 15-day health campaign focussing on screening and creating awareness about non-communicable diseases. “Apart from the blood donation drives, most states are conducting several other programmes to celebrate the PM’s birthday. We are hoping that there is a huge turnout of target population in the camps, and the events turn out to be a grand success,” said a senior central government official, requesting anonymity.