PTCL’s blood donation campaign, which was kicked off on 3rd of November, has exceeded its pledge of donating 5,000 pints of blood within two weeks of initiation.
Blood donation drive
PTCL commenced the nationwide blood donation campaign on 3rd of November. The telecom giant partnered with a number of reputable donor agencies and made a pledge to donate more than 5,000 pints of blood during the drive. The drive included a week-long campaign which highlighted the importance of donating blood and its part in creating a healthier and more emphatic society. This campaign encompassed everyone from PTCL employees, their families and the general members of the society.
A number of higher officials at PTCL took active part in the campaign and encouraged others within the community to raise as much awareness as they could regarding blood donation. For this blood donation drive, PTCL Razakaars set up 100 different camps and conducted outreach programs in cities including Quetta, Sukkur, Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad.
Results of the drive and outreach program
The outreach program by PTCL was tremendously successful and within only two weeks of kicking off the drive, PTCL surpassed its pledge of 5,000 pints. By the last estimate, more than 9,726 pints of blood were collected from all the blood donation camps. The drive is still going on and PTCL hopes to exceed their initial target by a long shot.
A big part of PTCL’s success in meeting their pledge so early on in the drive was the efforts of PTCL front-line staff. A shining example of that effort is Iftikhar Ahmed, who is working as a Guard with PTCL. While talking about the blood donation drive, he expressed his appreciation in following words:
“I am performing the duty of a guard at PTCL for last three years. I really appreciate this noble cause of blood donation drive arranged by PTCL management. I donated blood considering it a good deed. Such activities should be done on regular basis.”
Wajid Ali, another PTCL employee, hopes to get another chance to donate blood and save lives again:
“I am serving as a guard at PTCL for last four years. I donated blood having a spirit of saving a life. We all shall participate in such activities and should save lives by donating blood. Inshallah if I get another chance to donate blood, I will donate again. Saving a life is one of the best deed.”
It is a general consensus among most donors that activities like this should be a common occurring and steps should be taken to make events like this possible on regular basis.
“I am serving as a driver from past 27 years. Officials of blood bank were our guests and they were here to collect blood for the needy patients. As a hospitality of the blood bank I donated blood. Besides this act will also save someone’s life which gave me spiritual satisfaction. Management should do such arrangements of helping people on regular basis.”
Pakistan is short of nearly 1.4 million blood units each year. A number of precious lives are lost due to this shortage. As an integral part of the society, it is a responsibility of every healthy citizen to contribute towards making sure that this shortage is overcome. Being one of the largest companies in Pakistan, PTCL is in an excellent position to use its stature and make sure that the message is heard far and wide. It is refreshing to see PTCL take up this responsibility and play a part in helping community understand its responsibilities on a large scale.
