Donate Blood, Save Patients Fighting Hepatitis: Satwant Singh Rissam
Jammu — On World Hepatitis Day, observed on July 28 each year, Satwant Singh Rissam, President of the Young Blood Association, urged the community, especially the youth, to come forward and donate blood to support people living with hepatitis and those facing liver-related emergencies.Rissam added that the World Health Organization’s 2026 theme — “Hepatitis: Let’s break it down” — highlights the need to remove barriers to life‑saving services and accelerate progress toward eliminating hepatitis by 2030. We should all work to make this happen. Viral hepatitis B and C can cause chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer, and many patients need timely transfusions and platelet support to survive and recover. “Patients with hepatitis often need immediate transfusion support,” said Satwant Singh Rissam. Blood donation is essential for hepatitis patients because transfusions help treat anemia caused by chronic liver disease, replace blood lost during sudden bleeding episodes such as variceal hemorrhage, and provide critical support during liver surgeries and transplants. Rissam said that regular, voluntary, screened blood donation not only saves lives but also builds a strong culture of compassion and social responsibility. He made a special appeal to young people to become regular donors, inspire friends to join the movement, and help ensure safe blood is always available for patients in need.
