‘Share Life, Give Blood’: Dr. Manoj Paul receives award of best blood donor in Cachar district

June 14: Blood donation saves millions of lives annually and helps with the recovery and health of patients who have illnesses or injuries, complex operations or childbirth problems. To honour the blood donors, World Blood Donor Day is celebrated around the world on 14 June. The event serves to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gift of blood and acknowledge them and encourage blood donation and new donors, especially by representing how blood donations have saved and changed lives.

To mark this day, Assam State AIDS Control Society (ASACS) in collaboration with Assam State Blood Transfusion Council (ASBTC) felicitated the Best Donor from each district of Assam at Guwahati for their  performance during the last financial year 2018-19 and total contribution in the field of voluntary blood donation. The programme was held at the Conference Hall of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati on 14 June, 2019.

On the day, a total of 23 individuals from 23 districts of Assam were felicitated. Cachar was made proud by Dr. Manoj Kumar Paul, President of Cachar District chapter of Barak Valley Voluntary Blood Donors Forum (BVVBDF). Dr. Paul is the Principal of Women’s College, Silchar. He was felicitated as the best blood donor of Cachar district. On the otherhand, Dr. Paritosh Chandra Dutta, President of BVVBDF, Hailakandi district committee was also felicitated as best blood donor of Hailakandi district. Palak Chakraborty was adjudged as the best blood donor from Karimganj district.

Dr. Manoj Kumar Paul is associated with the Blood Bank of Silchar Medical College & Hospital. Dr. Paritosh Chandra Dutta and Palak Chakraborty are associated with S.K.Roy Civil Hospital, Hailakandi and Karimganj Civil Hospital respectively.

The programme conducted by ASACS & ASBTC was graced by Commisioner of Taxes cum Director of ASACS Anurag Goyel, Principal of Gauhati Medical College-Dr. R.K. Talukdar, Superintendent of GMC-Dr. Ramen Taluqdar and in-charge of Blood Bank, Guwahati Medical College.

In an exclusive interview with way2barak, Dr. Manoj Kumar Paul, who was adjudged as the best blood donor from Cachar district, spoke about himself and voluntary blood donation.

way2barak: Sir, hearty congratulations on your achievement.

M.K.Paul: Thanks a lot. I am honoured. In fact, it’s not just my achievement. This is the achievement of all blood donors of Cachar district whom we as a team of Barak Valley Voluntary Blood Donors Forum (BVVBDF) inspired to do so.

way2barak: You are the President of Cachar chapter of Barak Valley Voluntary Blood Donors Forum (BVVBDF). So what exactly inspired you to be a part of this movement?

M.K.Paul: Well, I was a witness to a heart-rendering incident some few decades ago. At that time, I was a student of post graduation. A mother lost her only child as she was unable to manage blood for her ailing child. That lady was crying in front of the lifeless body of her dead son. In a chocked voice she was telling, “Alas!, if any good soul donated blood, than my child would have been alive today. This incident made a permanent scar in my heart. At much later period of my life, I became associated with the blood donation movement to try in my own little way so that no more mother weeps near the dead body of her son, as a lady did some 30 years ago.

way2barak: Sir, how long you are associated with the blood donation movement?

M.K.Paul: My association with Barak Valley Voluntary Blood Donors Forum (BVVBDF) is almost since that of a decade. Till now, I have donated blood 41 times. I can tell you one thing for certainty. It gives great satisfaction to find a life saved with your blood which you donate voluntarily.

way2barak: Are their enough blood donors here at Cachar district?

M.K.Paul: Look, if every able bodied person donated blood even once a year, than our blood banks would have flooded with blood. But this is not the case. In Cachar district alone, the per day requirement of blood for patients is 60 to 70 units. By voluntary blood donation, we are able to collect only one-third of the daily requirement of blood. The remaining requirement is met up by exchange donors and paid donors. Now, from the view point of safety, blood collected by means of voluntary donation is perhaps the most pure.

way2barak: What do you feel that your Barak Valley Voluntary Blood Donors Forum (BVVBDF) has been able to motivate people for donating blood?

M.K. Paul: Barak Valley Voluntary Blood Donors Forum (BVVBDF) is creating great awareness in the society regarding voluntary blood donation. Definitely through our intervention, people have become much aware and have now shed prejudices regarding blood donation. But lot’s need to be done still now. The quantum of blood donation has increased in the last few years.

way2barak: You are the Principal of a college. So how do you manage time for blood donation activities?

M.K.Paul: When you love something earnestly or if you have passion for some work, than it happens automatically. However, tired I may be after my day long official work, but I do work extra hours after completing my service assignments and associate myself in this task. That is how I maintain balance between my two assignments. Moreover, the present age is that of multi-tasking. If one have passion for something, than he/she will definitely achieve the goal, however, hard it may seem.

way2barak: Can you share any incident(s) for our readers which has left a mark on your heart?

M.K.Paul: Well, there are many such incidents. Infact, around 3 years back, twin babies were born at Silchar Red Cross Hospital. Just after their birth, some complications arised and they were shifted to Silchar Medical college. They required blood immediately, but their group being A Negative was very rare. Somehow, we managed and saved the lives of the twins. A few days back, I met those toddlers and was so happy for being able to be a catalyst in saving the two tender lives.

way2barak: Thanks a lot Dr. Paul. But before we conclude, do you have any message for our readers?

M.K.Paul: You are welcome. Infact, I would like to humbly appeal to the people to shed away prejudices, if any, and come forward every year for voluntary blood donation. The satisfaction you would get when you get to know that the blood you have donated has saved a life. Believe me, not any other donation would give you such a high degree of satisfaction.