Dr Balbir Singh urges youth to donate blood regularly

Spread the news

Chandigarh, October 5

Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Monday urged young people in the state to donate blood at least once a year, as the government pushes to make safe blood available to everyone. Speaking at a state-level function in Chandigarh to mark National Voluntary Blood Donation Day, Dr Balbir Singh said every college student should take a pledge to become a regular blood donor.

He also praised Punjab for securing third position nationally in voluntary blood donations per million population on the Union government’s e-RaktKosh portal. The state, he said, had topped the country in repeat voluntary blood donors. “Now is the time to transition from star donors to star motivators,” Dr Balbir Singh told donors at the event, urging them to encourage more young people to donate blood.

The minister said the state was also focusing on reducing Hepatitis C infections through wider screening, early treatment and stronger blood safety measures. Punjab is introducing advanced testing methods, including Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) and Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (CLIA), to reduce diagnostic window periods and lower the risk of infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C being transmitted through blood.

According to the health department, Punjab has 198 licensed blood centres, including 49 government, seven military and 142 private or trust-run centres. During 2025-26, the state collected 5,44,167 blood units through 6,583 donation camps. Government blood centres collected 1,78,382 units, of which 1,77,583, or nearly 99.6%, came from voluntary donors.

Dr Balbir Singh also sought to dispel concerns about blood donation causing weakness. “Blood donation causes no weakness or deficiency in the body,” he said, calling for regular voluntary blood donation to become a continuous social movement. PBG Welfare Club of Kotkapura was named the leading voluntary blood donation organisation after collecting and supplying 8,933 units to government blood centres.