VIJAYAWADA: Governor S Abdul Nazeer, who also serves as the president of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), AP State Branch, emphasised the pivotal role of the Red Cross in providing blood to the needy during the World Red Cross Day and International Thalassemia Day celebrations held at Raj Bhavan’s Durbar Hall in Vijayawada on Thursday.
Addressing the gathering, he stated that the Red Cross AP State Branch operates 20 blood centres, collecting over 65,000 units annually and issuing more than 1 lakh units of blood. He noted that one-third of these units are supplied free of cost to underprivileged patients undergoing treatment in government hospitals.
Earlier, the Governor virtually inaugurated the Red Cross Thalassemia Blood Transfusion Centre at the Srikakulam District Red Cross Blood Centre and lauded the initiative for supporting children and individuals requiring critical transfusion services. He also directed officials to expand transfusion services at all blood centres equipped with component facilities. In another significant move, the Governor unveiled a plaque of the Red Cross Child Care, Women Welfare & Skill Development Centre in Kakinada.
During the event, he presented Red Cross awards and medals to district collectors P Prasanthi (Rajahmundry), DK Balaji (Krishna), O Anand (Nellore), G Raja Kumari (Nandyal), Sagili Shan Mohan (Kakinada), P Ranjit Basha (Kurnool), C Naga Rani (Bhimavaram), and J Venkata Murali (Bapatla) for their exceptional contributions to the Red Cross movement.
First Lady Sameera Nazeer, Dr M Hari Jawaharlal, Secretary to the Governor, YD Rama Rao, Chairman, and AK Parida, CEO & General Secretary of Red Cross Andhra Pradesh State Branch, along with other officials and Red Cross members, attended the event.