Shillong: Meghalaya govt has directed all health care officials and programme officers in the state to expand awareness campaigns on voluntary blood donation to schools, colleges, and public spaces to inspire the younger generation.Highlighting that 51% of Meghalaya’s population is under 25, health and family welfare minister Wailadmiki Shylla described voluntary blood donors as “silent heroes and heroines” who save countless lives, emphasising that ordinary citizens have the power to make a difference.“You don’t need a degree; you don’t need to be a doctor or a medical practitioner to save a life. You can simply give your blood and save a life,” the minister exhorted the youth at a function on the eve of World Blood Donor Day 2026, organised by the Meghalaya state blood transfusion council, directorate of health services (medical education and research), at the state convention centre in Shillong on Friday.Observed globally on June 14 under the aegis of the World Health Organisation, World Blood Donor Day pays tribute to millions of voluntary, unpaid blood donors whose generosity saves lives every day. The theme for this year is “One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives.”To modernise the system, the minister proposed developing a mobile application to streamline donor registration and provide real-time visibility of blood availability across hospitals in Meghalaya.Dr L Mylliemumlong, director of health services (medical education and research), urged the people to adopt voluntary blood donation as a social responsibility, stressing that the process is completely safe and naturally replenished by the body. She called for widespread community awareness to ensure that “no life is ever lost to a preventable blood shortage”.Special recognition was given to young and first-time voluntary blood donors to encourage the next generation of lifesavers.The blood centres at Dr HG Roberts Hospital and Nazareth Hospital, the department of transfusion medicine and blood centre at NEIGRIHMS, and the regional blood centre at Pasteur Institute, Shillong, were honoured for their sustained efforts in ensuring round-the-clock blood availability for the public.
