New Delhi [India], October 2 (ANI): A Blood Donation Camp on the occasion of National Voluntary Blood Donation Day was organised at the South Block in New Delhi, the Defence Ministry said.

The camp was organised in collaboration with the Armed Forces Transfusion Centre on Wednesday. The theme for this year's campaign was 'Give Blood, Give Hope: Together We Save Lives.'

A total of 202 officials and staff of the Ministry of Defence donated blood. Each donor underwent pre-donation counselling and health screening to ensure the highest standards of safety and quality. The camp highlighted the life-saving importance of voluntary blood donation and reinforced the role of community participation in strengthening the national healthcare system, Defence Ministry said.

Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh was present on the occasion.

A qualified medical team comprising two Medical Officers, two Junior Commissioned Officers and 10 Paramedical Staff (Blood Transfusion Assistants), along with the required equipment, ensured smooth and safe conduct of the camp, ministry said.

National Voluntary Blood Donation Day is celebrated on October 1 every year to raise awareness about the need and importance of blood in the life of an individual. It was first started celebrating on the 1st of October in the year 1975 through the Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology.

The Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology were first established on the 22nd of October in the year 1971 under the leadership of K. Swaroop Krishen and Dr JG Jolly.

The objectives of the National Voluntary Blood Donation Day are -- make people all over the country aware of the importance of voluntary blood donation, to successfully achieve the target of Voluntary Blood Donation to fulfill the urgent need of the needy patients, to store the blood in stock in blood banks for any urgent and serious requirement, to promote and emphasise the self-esteem of blood donors through a lot of thanks, to motivate and encourage people who are not interested in donating blood even being a healthy person, to stimulate people to donate blood voluntarily who are interested in donating blood only to their relatives or friends. (ANI)