EMN
Dimapur, February 24
Blood donation is the greatest act of gifting a person can do for another person, participants of a recent blood donation camp were told. Blood donation, a voluntary procedure, is when a person agrees to have blood drawn so that it can be given to someone who needs a blood transfusion. Millions of people need blood transfusions each year.
A workshop about HIV/AIDS and blood donation was organized by the State College of Teacher Education Kohima in collaboration with Red Ribbon Club and Voluntary Blood Donor Association of Kohima on February 24. The event was conducted at the SCTE in the capital town, and with the theme “To save lives, you don’t have to be a doctor, but be just be a blood donor”.
Speaking about the importance of blood donors, the president of the Voluntary Blood Donors’ Association of Kohima, Kholi Dolf, said that voluntary blood donation was the highest firm of charity and one which can bind the society regardless of class, race, color or religion. Donating blood is the greatest gift one can do for mankind, he said. ‘Many patients are dying in hospital due to shortage of blood,’ he said and urged the trainees to donate blood to save lives and dwell. He called upon the gathering to join the blood donors’ association. He called upon them to be ambassadors and educate the students after returning to their places.
Resource person from Red Ribbon Club, assistant director Ainato Yeptho spoke on the topic ‘role and responsibilities.’ He said that the Red Ribbon Club was a movement to spread information about HIV/AIDS through service education and events. The main objective is to harness the potential of the youth equipping them with correct information on HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and support, he said. ‘It intends to build their capacities as per educators in spreading the message on positive health behaviors and to increase voluntary blood donation from among the youth which also aim to facilitate life skill development to enable young people to deal with vulnerabilities,’ Yeptho added.
Also, another resource person, assistant director of the NSACS, Alipoker, said that HIV lives in body fluids such as seminal fluids, vaginal fluids and blood. More than 85% of all HIV infection occurs due to unsafe sex, he said. He said that prevention was the ‘only choice.’ Therefore, he said, every person should get themselves tested. He also spoke about treatment. Alipoker advised timely use of antiretroviral therapy (ART), besides healthy lifestyles which he said can help people with HIV and AIDS lead a normal life.
He also advised persons, who are infected, to adhere strictly to the guidelines of ART, pursue healthy lifestyles, good nutrition and have a positive mindset. He asserted that the virus does not discriminate and can affect anyone so prevention is the only cure.
