In the recently conducted blood donation camp, a large pool of employees volunteered in the program to help contribute to the Rotary club’s call on corporate bodies to provide blood and meet up with the needs of the country’s population of over 180 million people. The blood donation drive is to help ensure blood is never missing from hospital shelves and to reduce the surging rise of postpartum hemorrhaging which is the leading cause of maternal mortality, accounting for over 27 percent of all maternal deaths in Nigeria.
Despite medical and technological advances, blood cannot currently be made. The only way of getting hold of it is via blood donations from donors. A report from the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) indicates that in most cases, the demand for blood far outweighs the supply. In Nigeria, about 500,000 units of blood are collected yearly out of the required 1.5 million units of blood. Several studies have shown that this reluctance to donate blood is fueled by religious, spiritual and superstitious beliefs. Dana Group supports the blood donation initiative via an employee blood donor drive themed ‘Blood Donation Camp – Save a life, Give Blood’. The conglomerate’s actions were aimed at dispelling myths and encouraging other companies to follow suit to save the lives of many in need of blood.
The need for blood is constant, so is the need for donations. Every day, all the hospitals and clinics in the world need blood and blood components to treat patients, since most surgical interventions and a great number of medical procedures require blood transfusions. Transfusions of blood and blood components have become an essential part of healthcare today.
Addressing the camp during the blood donation camp, Mr. Ramesh Hathiramani, Chairman, Dana Group said, “our partnership with the Rotary Club on the blood donation program is consequent upon our increasing efforts to positively impact the communities we’re in. We foster a framework for collaboration with both organizations and the government to recognize local initiatives for expanding the involvement in social contribution initiatives for the country. The gesture is rooted in the objective of Dana Group’s social responsibility to contribute to the development of society as an upright corporate citizen and staying true to the group’s unwavering commitment to saving lives. We further acknowledge the Rotary Club, Lagos Blood Bank and the SSVF for their dedicated efforts towards the care and treatment of local communities, notably their work to ensure that blood reserves remain ample and lives continue to be saved.”
Expressing his awe and appreciation of the high turnout of Dana Group employees, President of the Rotary Club, Rotarian. Sanjeev Tandon, who expressed his gratitude to blood donors, said “it was heartwarming to see the positive turnout of willing donors and I appreciate the many efforts contributed by all concerned, from the clubs, the corporate bodies, as well as other notable individuals with a passion to save lives through the blood bank free donation project, especially the Indian nation.”
In recent years across the states in Nigeria, there has been a significant rise in the awareness and the call for blood donation to help the practice of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The demand for donated blood in our country’s hospitals and clinics, over the years, has been on a significant rise and the consistency in the high demand has necessitated the call for blood donation in the country by many an organization, particularly, Rotary club and Dana group.
“Giving back is in the heart of our business, it forms part of our core values. To save lives and provide quality health care delivery to the people, alongside our partners, we’ve keyed into the blood donation program – to continue our great momentum of giving back to communities all over the country,” said Dinesh Tanwani, Vice President, Admin, Dana Group. Continuing, Dinesh stressed that “Volunteer-ism is central to Dana Group’s culture and to the character of our company. Partnering with the Rotary Club and SSVF in the blood donation camp program is one of the ways we save lives and help our neighborhoods and our communities thrive.”
Through socially responsible management, Dana Group aims to delineate its vision and role vis-à-vis our employees, partner companies, charity organizations, local communities and humanity at large. It strives to faithfully carry out its responsibilities for the provision of quality health care to the society. Blood donation is one of the most significant contributions that a person can make towards the society. One of the most impactful ways to have a direct impact on the lives of the people in a community, a neighbor, friend or stranger in need is through blood donations. The volunteers from Dana Group find that creating positive change by helping others also refuels their energy and enthusiasm for life.
About Dana Group and Sri Sai Vandana Foundation (SSVF)
Dana Group has been on the frontier supporting various community engagement initiatives across the country since its establishment in Nigeria. Every year, both Dana Group and Sri Sai Vandana Foundation (SSVF) jointly carry out a defined CSR project aimed at saving lives and enriching the indigents with life touching programs. Through its support programs, it has empowered indigents, displaced persons in the northeastern region, and recently the school feeding program for children in the primary schools among others. The participation of the Group’s employees in the blood donation camp takes root from the conglomerate’s initiative to promote the spirit of volunteerism within the organization through its employee-volunteer program. The initiative serves as Dana Group’s core focus on healthcare as a key avenue of raising the quality of life for communities across the nation, helping maintain blood reserves as a critical provision for local healthcare. The strong bond between the two organizations has brought great relief to the beneficiaries of these projects.