Kohima, October 01: Nagaland Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr TM Lotha has today stressed the importance of blood donation saying that "human blood cannot be manufactured like other commodities".

Addressing on the occasion of National Voluntary Blood Donation Day organized under the aegis of the Nagaland State Blood Transfusion Council and India Red Cross Society, Nagaland State Branch here at the Red Cross Complex today, the Minister said they were fortunate to be alive and healthy while some of their fellow country men were in need of life-saving blood even "at this moment as we are having our meeting (now)".

Stating that human life was fragile, Dr Lotha explained that there was no guarantee that they too would not require human blood to survive.

He recalled how Nagas in the past and even now were reluctant to freely donate their blood due to �certain misconceptions and wrong information about giving away blood�.

�That was why we used to buy blood from the professional blood donors whose antecedents and status of health are questionable," he stated.

Fortunately, after the Supreme Court order, buying blood was banned from 1st January 1998 and further directed the Governments to constitute National and State Blood Transfusion Councils to oversee the functioning of Blood Banks and to promote Voluntary Blood Donation, he added.

Appealing to all to learn the true facts of blood donation and remove the doubts and misconceptions and come forward to save another human being by donating their blood, Dr Lotha also urged the volunteers and different organizations to broaden their network of awareness campaign and redouble their motivational efforts.

Dr V Khamo, Blood Bank, NHAK, spoke on the topic of "Importance of Voluntary Blood Donation." Dr SI Tushi, Secretary, IRCS, Nagaland Branch also gave exhortation.

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