DHAKA, Nov 1, 2020 (BSS) – President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today called upon all national and international organizations for taking combined efforts to ensure voluntary blood donation and posthumous eye donation in the country.
They made the call in separate messages on the eve of ‘National Voluntary Blood Donation and Posthumous Eye Donation Day 2020’.
President, in his message, urged the government and non-government organizations to motivate people for donating, collecting and preserving human eyes and blood.
Highlighting the importance of blood donation, he said it does not harm the body but useful for health according to experts.
“Voluntary blood donation has already become a popular social movement with the collective efforts of all and in this case the Shandhani organization is playing an important role here,” he said.
“Many people become blind due to corneal problems every year… The only medical treatment for corneal blindness is replacement of human cornea,” he added.
President encouraged everyone for posthumous eye donation in removing corneal blindness.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, called upon all including national and international organizations and private organizations to participate in this humanitarian activity like Shandhani (non-government voluntary organization).
Mentioning the contribution of Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, she said Bangabandhu realized the importance of safe blood that is why he established ‘Blood Refinance Department’ at the then PG Hospital in 1972.
He (Bangabandhu) promulgated Blind Relief (Donation of Eye) Act in 1975 to solve the problem of blindness in the country, she said.
The prime minister also said that the present government has established National Eye Science Institute and Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib Eye Hospital and Training Institute in Gopalganj.
“Transplantation of Human Organs Act-2018″ has been formulated under our tenure so that we can protect people against blindness” she added.
Lauding Shandhani, she said as part of showing humanity, the Shandhani made history by organizing the first voluntary blood donation programme at Dhaka Medical College on November 2, 1978 to bring back the life of a dying patient of the hospital.
Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, both the president and the premier urged everyone to observe the programmes related to the day abiding by the proper health rules.
They wished the overall success of ‘National Voluntary Blood Donation and Posthumous Eye Donation Day 2020’.