Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque on Saturday urged all for taking combined efforts to ensure voluntary blood donation and posthumous eye donation in the country.
Stressing the need for raising of mass awareness to popularize the donation programme, he said, “It is good for health to donate blood regularly and people should also come forward to donate their eyes after death to give a blind people to back their eyesight.”
He said this as chief guest at a programme marking ‘National Voluntary Blood Donation and Posthumous Eye Donation Day-2019’ organised by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) at its Dr Milan Hall in the city.
The minister said developed blood bank would be introduced soon in government level.
Mentioning the contribution of Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to this end, he said, Bangabandhu realized the importance of safe blood that’s why he established ‘Blood Refinance Department’ at the then PG Hospital in 1972.
He (Bangabandhu) promulgated Blind Relief (Donation of Eye) Act in 1975 to solve the problem of blindness in the country, he said.
“Transplantation of human organs act has also been formulated under the present government’s tenure so that we can protect people against blindness,” he added.
Secretary (Health Service) of the ministry Asadul Islam presided over the programme while Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Vice Chairman of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) Professor Dr Habibe Millat and BSMMU Vice Chancellor Dr Kanak Kanti Barua spoke, among others.
