Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta today inaugurated a blood donation camp organised at Red Cross House, Exchange Road, Srinagar, where a large number of people donated blood.The blood donation camp was organised by Indian Red Cross Society, J&K Chapter (IRCS), in collaboration with NGO's Coordination Committee Jammu and Kashmir. The theme of this year's National Voluntary Blood Donation Day, which is observed in India on 1st October each year since 1975 to encourage healthy people to donate blood, was "Give Blood and Keep the World Beating".While speaking on the occasion, Dr Mehta said that the blood donation is a noble job and is being performed by the blessed lot.Congratulating blood donors, volunteers and life members of IRCS on the occasion, Dr Mehta urged upon people to come forward for blood donation and said that government highly recognizes and appreciates the selfless service of the blood donors for the entire society.He further said that he was pleased to know that women are donating blood side by side with men and praised the girl students who had come to donate blood. He said that blood donation doesn’t only help a deserving patient but is medically known to be beneficial for the donor as well. He encouraged volunteers to reach out to general public to educate them about the benefits of blood donation and said more such camps need to be organized.
Regarding the Covid situation, he said that Jammu and Kashmir has done a good job in dealing with the Covid situation and lauded the district administration Srinagar for their timely efforts to arrest the recent spike of Covid cases in Srinagar. Chief Secretary however said that we must not lower our guard under any circumstances and should follow all health care guidelines issued by the government from time to time.To avert any possibility of third wave of Covid, Dr Mehta urged leftover people to get vaccinated as soon as possible and should not give ear to any kind of rumours, besides stressing on the mandatory use of masks.He urged upon the IRCS of JK, Youth Clubs to disseminate the message to people to follow Covid Appropriate Behaviour.Maintaining that health care is of standard quality in Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Mehta urged upon people to get Golden Health card so that they will be able to avail insurance of up to Rs 5 lakh per year and free medical treatment in private and government hospitals. He impressed upon all including IRCS volunteers to work hard to get every person covered under this scheme so that maximum people take benefit.Asserting that government wants to obtain 100 percent saturation in covering disabled people, he said that government will provide free medical assistance in various forms to the disabled people. He said that this is the priority of the government and responsibilities should be fixed to ensure no single eligible person remains deprived of the government's benefits.Director Health Services Kashmir, Additional Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, General Secretary (Honorary) IRCS - JK, doctors, paramedics from SKIMS Bemina, Lal Ded Hospital, Aids Control Society, students and civil society members were present on the ocassion.Later a seminar was organised where speakers threw light on blood donation and it's various scientific aspects.