Health benefits of blood donation

Blood donation is a community responsibility. About one in seven people entering a hospital needs blood. Regular blood transfusion is required for treating thalassemia patients. Hence, many lives can be saved every year by donating blood voluntarily. However, only a few people in Bangladesh, who are eligible to donate blood, actually do donate annually. According to a recent study, the demand for blood in Bangladesh is 900,000 bags a year. And volunteer donors help meet only 32 per cent of that demand. The remaining 68 per cent comes from the relatives and friends of blood recipients. In this reality, we have recently observed World Blood Donor Day across the country on June 14.
Donating blood is an act of solidarity. However, many people think that donating blood can be harmful for them. And they have reservations about blood donation. The fear has a lot to do with a lack of knowledge. But donating blood is a very safe and simple procedure. And, it takes only 10-15 minutes to complete the process. Blood donation not only enables patients to live longer and healthier lives, but it also benefits donors' mental and physical health. In healthy individuals, timely blood donation aids in weight loss, boosts immunity, reduces the risk of heart diseases, lowers the possibility of cancer and cheers them up mentally.
It is said that if only 2.0 per cent of the country's population donates blood once a year, there will be no shortage of blood in Bangladesh. Hopefully, there are some organisations of energetic young people who are trying to encourage people to become blood donors through their online and offline campaigns. Many youngsters are voluntarily participating in this noble act. But still we have a huge deficit of blood. So every healthy and capable person should donate blood voluntarily and encourage others to do so.

Shah Muhammad Abdullah,
Student of University of Rajshahi,
Department Of Bangla,
maxpoint562@gmail.com