29th year of Blood Donation Camp at BITS Pilani !

A two day blood donation camp was held at BITS Pilani on 30-31 January and this happens to be the 29^th year of blood donation camps at the Institute which has been holding this activity every year without any break The program was organized by the National Service Scheme of the Institute in association with Indian Red Cross Society, Delhi, led by Dr Jasbir Singh apart from 15 helping staff.

Further, this year’s camp has registered an increase of upto 62% in the number of donors, as 841 people donated the blood this year as against 520 people last year. Donors included both teaching and non teaching staff and students of the Institute. Besides, students and staff members of the neighboring colleges and schools too also participated in blood donation though in small number.

Said Prof Vimal Bhanot, the NSS Coordinator while concluding the camp, “Students showed huge enthusiasm for blood donation this year. Much before the formal opening of the camp, they had already queued up for donation and it continued till the last moment. In fact, there were many more people who came to donate blood but we had to reject them because of medical reasons. And, six security staff came to the camp after the program was over unknowingly and they had to go disappointed ”.

Vice Chancellor Prof L K Maheshwari opened the camp on the morning of the morning of 30^th.

Over 50 volunteers of NSS worked hard for nearly a month to make the program a success. Preparatory activities they undertook include : Display of banners and posters all over the campus, Door to Door campaign in the hostels and staff residences, Slide displays in Institute auditoriums and Intensive Awareness Program for allaying fears about blood donation. The Institute provided all support.

Indian Red Cross Society was immensely pleased with the success of blood donation camp at Pilani this year. Dr Jasbir Singh from Red Cross Society said “this kind of networking and organizational capabilities of students is worth imitating in other universities”.

Last year, the Indian Red Cross Society awarded BITS Pilani for having provided maximum number of Voluntary Blood Donors amongst educational institutions of the country during the year 2008-9.