Give Blood Save Lives! District Coast Guard organizes Blood Donation Camp
Mangaluru: To commemorate the 43rd Indian Coast Guard Raising Day falling on 01 February 2019, Headquarters, Coast Guard District (Karnataka) organized Blood Donation Camp in co-ordination with Indiana Hospital & Heart Institute in association with Indian Red Cross and other stakeholders on 16 January 2019 at Panambur.
The Blood Donation Camp was overwhelmingly responded by the local populace. The atmosphere was full of energy and the participants were seen enthusiastic waiting for their turn to donate the blood for the noble cause. Apart from Coast Guard Officers, men and women including civilian staff, the Camp was attended by members of Coast Guard Wives Welfare Association (CGWWA – a self-help group managed by wives of Coast Guard personnel) and Army.
Surg Lt Cdr KV Harish, District Medical Officer, utilized the occasion to spread awareness on benefits of blood donation. Dr Soumya D Rao and Mr Nagarjun Corporate Business Manager of Indiana Hospital & Heart Institute led their team with smiling faces in association with CA.
Shantharam Shetty and Mr Edward from Indian Red Cross cooperated with Coast Guard staff in a highly dignified and professional manner. The inauguration of the camp was commenced with the lighting of the lamp followed by words of wisdom by the dignitaries. The dignitaries talked about real life incidents relating to the need for blood. They emphasized the need to be kind to others and how Blood Donation Camp has an important part in this.
DIG SS Dasila, TM, the Commander, Coast Guard Karnataka led his team from the front in donating the blood that charged the entire Camp and other donors followed the suit. Colonel Rajmannar, Army Recruitment Officer was also amongst the donors.
Speaking on the occasion, DIG SS Dasila, TM, the Commander, Coast Guard Karnataka lauded the efforts of the Indiana Hospital and Indian Red Cross in joining hands with the Indian Coast Guard and donors from the various walks of life. DIG Dasila emphasized that the gift of blood is the gift of life and there is no substitute for human blood as Blood cannot be manufactured – it can only come from generous donors. Dasila added giving blood dose will not decrease one’s strength so Blood Donation is all About Life so Give Blood, Give Life.
A felicitation ceremony was held for the donors wherein their contributions were acknowledged. Dy Commandant Deepika Dhiman co-ordinated the event to make it a grand success with her dedicated efforts with the intrinsic element that connected collaboration with various organizations depicting the true spirit of giving blood and saving the life of another human being.
In the wake of Coast Guard Raising Day celebrations events planned spanning over the months of January and February 2019 in addition to Blood Donation Camp are Beach Cleaning (as a part of ‘Swatch Sagar Abhiyan’), Drawing Competition for School Children, Up-keep of Govt Primary Schools, series of Lectures on Coast Guard in local schools and PU Colleges, Sports activities at Panambur Beach, Plantation of Tree, Community Interaction Programmes for the fisherfolk, CG ships open for local populace visits etc.