Saturday, 19 July 2014 00:00
-
- {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Lighting the traditional oil lamp by People’s Leasing & Finance CEO/General Manager D.P. Kumarage
Sri Lanka has been selected by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to host the 11th global event of world blood donor day this year in Sri Lanka which is a nominated achievement that will honour the success story of Sri Lanka’s National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS).
Since 2004, WHO selected a country to host the global event on the basis of the achievements and quality of the transfusion service. Previously, South Africa, UK, Thailand, Canada, Dubai, Australia, Spain, Argentina and France have hosted the event. WHO promotes its member countries to have a safe blood collection system based on 100% voluntary donors.
Sri Lanka has reached the 100% mark in 2013 and it was officially announced in France that WHO has selected Sri Lanka to host the WBDD global event in 2014 under the theme ‘Safe Blood for Saving Mothers’. With 37 maternal deaths per 100,000 births, Sri Lanka leads the region (240 deaths per 100,000 births in maternal mortality); hence the theme perfectly fits Sri Lanka’s achievements. Also, the Government has declared a World Blood Donor week from 7 to 14 June.
To mark World Blood Donor Day and the 18th Anniversary of People’s Leasing & Finance PLC (PLC), the Sports & Welfare Society of PLC organised an island wide blood donation campaign in Colombo, Kandy, Anuradhapura, Bandarawela and Galle with the participation of the staff members of PLC Group, PLC customers and General Publicin collaboration with the national blood transfusion service. The theme of the blood donation campaign was ‘Donate a Drop of Blood to Save a Life’.
Staff members of the PLC group voluntarily participated and donated their invaluable blood in order to save lives of patients who are fighting against their illnesses. The blood collection from the island wide blood donation camps was around 600 pints of blood and this contribution was also highly commended by Sri Lanka’s National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) which paid tribute to the voluntary blood donors.
Incidentally, high level screening techniques are used in Sri Lanka to enhance safety by exclusion of high risk donors, testing donated blood for five infectious diseases – HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Malaria and Syphilis before releasing blood for transfusion, according to NBTS sources. PLC would like to take this opportunity to thank profusely and to pay tribute to all blood donors for this meritorious deed.
