Mysuru: Every year, on June 14, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) to create awareness on the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.

Similarly, the Department of Transfusion Medicine of JSS Medical College and Hospital, in association with JSS College of Nursing and JSS School of Nursing had organised an awareness rally and a stage programme at Sri Rajendra Centenary Auditorium in the hospital premises this morning.

With this year’s theme being ‘What can you do? Give now. Give often,’ about 400 students of JSS College of Nursing, took out a rally from the hospital premises on MG Road, which was flagged off by R. Mahesh, Director, Medical Education, JSS Mahavidyapeetha.

The students, carrying placards with the messages on the importance of blood donation, passed through M.G. Road to reach Agrahara Circle, where they staged a street play. The rally continued via Sayyaji Rao Road, Basaveshwara Circle (Gun House Circle) and culminated at the starting point.

The stage programme was  inaugurated by Mayor M.J. Ravikumar. In his inaugural speech,  Ravikumar said that blood donation is one of the greatest donations that a human being can do and added that every pint of blood donated saves more than three lives. The Mayor urged the hospital authorities to make blood affordable for the poor.

On the occasion, regular blood donors Anil and Mahesh of Mysuru and M. Basavaraju of T. Narasipur were felicitated. A voluntary blood donation camp and display of posters was also held at the hospital.

Registrar of JSS University Dr. B. Manjunatha, JSS Medical College Principal Dr. H. Basavanagowdappa, JSS School of Nursing Principal Shashidhar Kumar, Drug Controller Dr. Shivakumar, JSS Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Guruswamy, Corporator M.V. Ramprasad and others were present.