[gallery size="medium" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" td_gallery_title_input="Massive response as 3-day blood donation campaign concludes" ids="122470,122498,122499,122500,122501"] By Hassan Cheruppa JEDDAH – A three-day blood donation camp concluded on Saturday on the premises of the Consulate General of India, Jeddah. Senior officials of the Ministry of Health who attended the inaugural function of the camp on Friday lauded the Indian community for organizing such a camp, the first of its kind, in Jeddah. "This was for the first time a diplomatic mission organizing such an event for any of the expatriate communities," said Dr. Ali Al-Shamsi, chairman of the Laboratory and Central Blood Bank at the ministry. Indian Consul General Mohammed Noor Rahman Sheikh inaugurated the camp, organized by the Indian Pilgrims Welfare Forum (IPWF), in coordination with the Ministry of Health and the International Medical Center (IMC). Al-Shamsi congratulated the Indian community, especially the consulate, IPWF and the donors, for taking the initiative for such a noble cause. "By giving blood you are giving life to people, and your blood will go to the right people at the right time," he said. Al-Shamsi underscored the significance and high reward for such noble deeds quoting the Qur'anic verse: "And whoever saves a life, it is as though he had saved all mankind." Al-Shamsi noted that Sheikh contacted the ministry several times to facilitate conducting such a camp. Apart from the great cultural bonds that bind the two nations, this initiative has set a new record, he said. "You are the first nationality and people who come forward to conduct such a camp to give life to people," Al-Shamsi said while offering full support of the ministry for such initiatives in future. In his speech, Sheikh thanked the ministry for its unwavering support for holding the first blood donation camp under the aegis of the consulate. "When I participated in some blood donation camps, I thought of organizing such an event under the consulate. When the idea came up from IPWF, I readily agreed and facilitated everything for the camp with the support of my colleagues. It is a great honor that we are the first among the consulates to take such a noble initiative, thanks to the Health Ministry officials and all those who have cooperated to make it a great success," Sheikh said. He thanked the donors from all walks of life who came forward to donate their blood. "Here, they have come to part away with the most precious thing in their body," he added. Earlier, Ayoob Hakeem, general secretary of IPWF, welcomed the gathering. He also thanked the ministry officials, consuls and donors. Announcing IPWF's plan to continue blood donation camps in future, he noted "One bag of blood saves three lives." Mementos were presented to the ministry officials. Riaz Mulla, general manager of IGNOU Study Center, was felicitated for supporting the camp on the occasion. Mohammed Shahid Alam, deputy consul general and Haj consul, Safar Ahmad Al-Malki, director of Laboratory and Central Blood Bank at Jeddah Health Affairs, Muhammad Al-Masri, assistant director of the Jeddah Blood Bank and senior manager of Central Blood Bank, Hussein Dennam, coordinator of Blood Bank and deputy manager of Central Blood Bank, and Dr. Sheikh Ahmad Muntajib, senior physician and supervisor at blood bank of IMC, as well as consuls, community leaders, IPWF officials and volunteers attended the function. Mohammad Aziz Kidwai, president of IPWF, thanked all for supporting IPWF in holding such a unique event. "Apart from extending Haj voluntary services, IPWF would continue offering similar services to society," he added. Nearly 300 members of the Indian community came up to donate their blood at the camp with the slogan of "Save a life; give blood". A total of 55 people donated blood on Thursday, the first day of the camp, while 115 donated on Friday, according to Mohideen Sirajudeen, coordinator of the camp. "This is the outcome of our relentless efforts for around two months," he told Saudi Gazette. Those who came forward to donate blood included even senior citizens. Consulate staffers Abdul Subhan of Allahabad and Umar Hayat from Lucknow were two among them. "We reached the camp to give blood but were refused on the grounds of the ministry regulation that the donors' age should not exceed 60. Unfortunately we are above 60," one of them said.
