Allianz Lanka blood donation campaign for thalassemia sets record

Kurunegala town was awash in a sea of blue as the familiar Allianz corporate branding greeted donors arriving to give life-giving blood plasma for thalassemia sufferers.

The blood donation campaign collected a record quantity of nearly 350 pints of blood plasma, affirmed Blood Bank officials. Blood tests to identify the presence of thalassemia were also carried out free of charge by the Blood Bank medical officers at the premises of the Allianz Lanka branch office, and many grateful parents brought their children to be tested.

The Kurunegala region has Sri Lanka’s highest concentration of thalassemia sufferers. Scientists and public health officials predict that thalassemia will become a cause for concern worldwide by the next century.

This is a life-threatening childhood blood disease that is passed down through families. It results in the destruction of red blood cells, which leads to anaemia. Frequent blood transfusions are needed to keep the red cell count at acceptable levels, so substantial and readily available quantities of blood are a constant need.

Families of children affected by thalassemia live not only with the anguish of having a child who may not reach adulthood, but must also bear the financial burden of medical expenses that are often higher than their income.

The Mayor of Kurunegala, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Kurunegala, as well as senior officers of the Sri Lanka Army, Special Task Force (STF) and the Police attended the inauguration of the blood donation campaign, in which religious dignitaries, business organisations, various trade associations and the Three Wheeler Driver’s Society also participated.

Allianz Lanka’s Kurunegala branch organised the blood donation campaign with the support of local civil authorities and government officials of the Kurunegala Municipal Council.

As a responsible corporate citizen, Allianz Lanka strives to address the issues within the communities in which it works. In this instance, blood plasma was a crying need in Kurunegala, which abounds with thalassemia sufferers.

The cooperation and support the company received from the civic authorities of Kurunegala underscores Allianz Lanka’s success in identifying and acting upon the needs of the area.