'Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav': Two-Week Nationwide Voluntary Blood Donation Drive Begins On PM Modi Birthday

The drive aims to bridge the gap between the demand and supply of blood in the country and also to create a national repository of blood donors who may be contacted later to meet blood requirements.

A 15-day blood donation drive — 'Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav' — across India on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday begins today, September 17. As part of a massive nationwide drive, the 'Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav' will continue till October 1, which is observed as National Voluntary Blood Donation Day.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday urged citizens to register on the Aarogya Setu app or e-Raktkosh portal for donating blood. The minister himself will donate blood at a camp set up at Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday.

In another tweet, the health minister urged people to take a pledge to donate blood, saying countless precious lives can be saved with their contribution.

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others – Mahatma Gandhi. With this spirit join Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav beginning on September 17. Every blood donor is a life-saver," he wrote on Twitter.

The main purpose of this two-week blood donation drive is to create a repository of voluntary blood donors so that anyone in need can get help on time and minimise the need for replacement blood donation, a source told the news agency PTI.

Earlier, in a letter sent by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan mentioned that the campaign slogan for 'Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav' will be - "Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the effort and save lives."

The Union health ministry started a large-scale media campaign to register people's pledges to donate blood during this two-week drive via the Aarogya Setu App/e-Raktkosh site, ensuring their blood donations at the designated blood banks/blood donation camps on September 17.

Blood banks and organisations running the drive would have access to the information of those who have registered to donate blood on the Aarogya Setu App via the e-RaktKosh online platform.

A live dashboard will also be operationalised on the e-RaktKosh web portal for tracking the state, and UT-wise number of blood units collected from September 17 to October 1.

The number of blood units collected by national-level NGOs will also be visible and tracked on the portal. Even NGOs will be able to upload their data on the same to help track their contribution to the blood-donation drive.