Africa-Press – Mauritius. The Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Jagutpal, appealed, this morning at the Caudan Arts Centre in Port Louis, to young people of 18 years and above to become new blood donors. He was speaking at the opening ceremony of a workshop organised in the context of the World Blood Donor Day 2023.
The Vice-Prime Minister (VPM), Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun and the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Mauritius, Dr Anne Marie Ancia, and other personalities were also present.
In his address, Minister Jagutpal applauded all blood donors as the unsung heroes whose altruism and compassion contribute to the well-being of countless individuals.
Their willingness to donate blood voluntarily, he highlighted, saves lives and reduces the risk of complications during medical procedures in addition to providing a lifeline for patients in need.
The Health Minister recalled that transfusion of blood and blood products is a vital life-saving intervention and forms part of acute hospital care. Each day, he pointed out, around 150 pints of blood are needed in our hospitals and private clinics.
He dwelt on the numerous health benefits of donating blood, including: enabling the identification of unknown health concerns; a long-term protective effect against cardiovascular disease; and reducing blood pressure, amongst others.
Speaking about this year’s campaign, Dr Jagutpal affirmed that it seeks to thank individuals who donate blood as well as encourage more young people to do so. He cautioned that the ageing of the population in Mauritius implies that there are not yet sufficient new donors.
On that note, he lauded the mission of the Pledge 15 Club launched by the Blood Donors Association, which encourages its members to take the pledge to give their blood at least 15 times during their lifetime.
As for VPM Dookun-Luchoomun, she remarked that the message of this year’s campaign, ‘Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often’, is meaningful as it shows the strong linkage between donating blood and sustaining life.
She emphasised that one can help many people just with one pint of blood, adding that the charitable and selfless action makes a person stronger. She further qualified the act of donating blood as an act of kindness and empathy that conveys the unstated desire to make a difference in the life of others and to extend the lifeline of people.
In addition, the Education Minister spoke of the need of instilling values of empathy, compassion and social conscience in young learners right from an early age.
She commended all those educational institutions that have adopted a proactive attitude in encouraging blood and plasma donation among the teaching community and learners, and called upon heads of schools to sustain their efforts and support the campaign.
According to VPM Dookun-Luchoomun, students are the best ambassadors to convince their peers and family in making the difference about the significance of developing the right sense of responsibility.
For her part, the WHO Representative in Mauritius stated that the World Blood Donor Day 2023 seeks to honour all individuals donating blood to those who need it.
She underscored that a blood service that gives patients access to quality and safe blood and blood products is a strong representative of a health system striving to provide universal health coverage for all.
She expressed satisfaction that, in Mauritius, there is a strong investment from all stakeholders in ensuring nationally coordinated blood transfusion services in line with a policy framework and national standards for collecting, processing, testing, storing, and distributing blood and blood products.
On this occasion, young donors of the Pledge 15 Club were also awarded certificates, while commemorative shields were handed over to representatives of thirty colleges for organising blood donation activities.
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