Dhaka:The National Voluntary Blood and Posthumous Eye Donation Day will be observed across Bangladesh tomorrow, spearheaded by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Sandhani Central Council, and Sandhani National Eye Donation Society.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, this year's theme for the day is "Roktodane Jiboner Joygaan, Chakkhudane Alor Sandhan" (Celebrating life through blood donation, finding light through eye donation). To mark the occasion, a rally will commence from the Central Shaheed Minar at 9 am, concluding at the Super Specialized Hospital of Bangladesh Medical University (BMU). Following the rally, a discussion will be held at the hospital's lecture hall at 10 am.
'Sandhani' has been a pioneer in the voluntary blood and eye donation movement in Bangladesh. The organization also functions as a human eye bank, advocating for individuals to pledge their eyes for donation posthumously, enabling others to regain sight.
Sandhani organized its first voluntary blood donation program on November 2, 1978, at the DMCH Blood Bank. To commemorate this event, November 2 was declared National Voluntary Blood and Posthumous Eye Donation Day by then Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia in 1995.
Dr. Mohammad Monir Hossain, General Secretary of the Sandhani National Eye Donation Society, highlighted that blindness remains a major health issue in Bangladesh, with visually impaired individuals often seen as burdens. He noted that approximately 15 lakh people in Bangladesh are blind, with around 500,000 suffering from corneal blindness, a number that increases by 40,000 annually.
Since its inception, Sandhani has been collecting corneas from deceased donors and unidentified bodies and has been transplanting them into patients' eyes at both government and private hospitals. Dr. Monir emphasized that all corneas transplanted in Bangladesh have been sourced through the Sandhani National Eye Donation Society.
Dr. Monir further stated that Sandhani was the first organization in Bangladesh to educate the public about corneal transplants, which can restore sight to individuals suffering from corneal blindness. He expressed optimism that raising awareness among Bangladesh's 18 crore population will simplify the task, potentially positioning the country as a leader in corneal transplantation worldwide.