Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain has called for greater public awareness of voluntary blood and posthumous eye donation to prevent deaths caused by blood shortages and make Bangladesh self-reliant in cornea collection.
He made the remarks at a discussion held at the lecture hall of Bangladesh Medical University’s (BMU) Super Specialized Hospital on Monday, November 2, marking National Voluntary Blood Donation and Posthumous Eye Donation Day 2026.
This year's observance was held under the theme “Raktodane Jiboner Joygan, Chokkhudane Alor Sandhan” (Celebrating Life through Blood Donation, Finding Light through Eye Donation).
Earlier, a rally started from the Central Shaheed Minar at 9am and ended at the ground-floor premises of BMU's Super Specialized Hospital. Participants carried banners and placards bearing slogans encouraging voluntary blood and posthumous eye donation.
The minister said organizing seminars alone would not be enough to accelerate blood donation initiatives. He stressed the need to raise public awareness and communicate the importance of donating blood to people from all walks of life, including healthcare professionals.
He said people should be made aware that donating blood does not harm the donor's health and that a single bag of blood can save a life.
Highlighting the religious significance of blood donation, the minister said saving a person's life was a noble act. He added that helping preserve another person's life through blood donation was a virtuous deed with spiritual merit, calling for positive public perceptions of the practice.
On thalassemia, the minister said children born to couples in which both partners are carriers of the disease face a risk of developing the condition. Patients with thalassemia require regular blood transfusions, creating long-term difficulties for them and their families.
He stressed the need for prospective brides and grooms to undergo screening before marriage to determine whether they are thalassemia carriers.
Raising awareness about thalassemia could help protect future generations from the disease and reduce demand for blood, he said. He also emphasized the need for effective publicity and initiatives to ensure adequate blood supplies.
Assuring support for Sandhani's activities, the minister said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare would provide assistance, within its capacity, for necessary blood collection projects and initiatives.
He also pledged to stand by the organization for as long as he remained in office.
Cornea collection falls short of demand
National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital Director Dr Syeed Mehbub Ul Kadir said the observance of National Voluntary Blood Donation and Posthumous Eye Donation Day began on November 2, 1978.
Although the voluntary blood donation movement had completed 48 years, the posthumous eye donation program, launched in 1984, had yet to achieve its desired goals, he said.
According to him, around 4,200 corneas had been collected in Bangladesh so far, of which 3,500 had been successfully transplanted. However, the number remained inadequate compared with demand.
Only 12 corneas were collected in the country this year, he added.
Dr Syeed said Bangladesh had previously collected corneas mainly from the United States, Sri Lanka and Nepal. However, Nepal no longer supplies corneas to Bangladesh, leaving the country dependent on the United States and Sri Lanka.
He said the cost of importing corneas from these countries was beyond the reach of many patients.
To address the challenges surrounding cornea collection and imports, he proposed organizing a multi-stakeholder consultation workshop under the leadership of the health minister.
He expressed hope that the initiative would help ensure affordable cornea collection and expand treatment opportunities for people waiting to regain their sight.
Call for self-reliance in blood and cornea collection
Director General of the Directorate General of Medical Education (DGME) Professor Dr Nazmul Hossain said Sandhani was primarily an organization of medical and dental students.
By launching national initiatives for blood and cornea collection, the organization had demonstrated students' organizational capabilities and sense of social responsibility, he said.
While Bangladesh had made significant progress in blood collection, it continued to lag behind in cornea collection, he added.
Given the country's large population, strengthening domestic cornea collection capacity was essential, he said. He stressed the need for collective efforts to ensure Bangladesh would not have to depend on other countries for blood or corneas in the future.
BMU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr FM Siddiqui said one of the main objectives of declaring November 2 National Voluntary Blood Donation and Posthumous Eye Donation Day was to raise public awareness.
Although awareness and interest in blood donation had increased, the desired level of awareness about posthumous eye donation had yet to be achieved, he said.
Religious and social misconceptions, along with superstitions, discouraged many people from donating their eyes after death, he added.
He stressed the need to raise awareness among people in rural areas, professionals and communities across all levels of society. Print and electronic media could play an important role in this regard, he said.
Professor Dr Siddiqui also said Sandhani, which began in 1977 with the initiative of just 6 students, had made significant progress over the years.
The organization continues to focus on voluntary blood donation and posthumous eye donation, and collective efforts are needed to further strengthen these initiatives, he added.
Among others present at the event were Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) President Professor Dr Harun Al Rashid, Secretary General Dr Md Zahidul Islam Shakil, Sandhani National Eye Donation Society President Professor Dr Md Fazlul Haque Kashem, its Secretary General and celebration subcommittee member-secretary Professor Dr Mohammad Monir Hossain, and the president and general secretary of Sandhani Central Council.
Officials from the ministry, BMU's pro-vice-chancellors, teachers from various medical colleges, physicians, officials from different institutions, prominent members of society, and Sandhani members and well-wishers also attended the program.
