Nagaland MGM College holds sensitisation on blood donation and HIV/AIDS

MGM College organized an awareness programme on blood donation and HIV/AIDS at the college auditorium on Saturday, with resource persons from Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CIHSR), Dimapur.
Speaking on the importance of blood donation, MD pathology, PDF Oncopathology, CIHSR, Dr. Nito Yepthomi, highlighted that donating blood was an act of voluntary service that could save multiple lives and support patients requiring medical intervention or surgeries.
He explained the types of blood donors, voluntary, replacement, and professional donors. He regarded voluntary donors, who contribute without any form of compensation, as the cornerstone of a safe and adequate blood supply.
Currently, he informed that India’s voluntary blood donation rate stood at 60-70%, while the target was to achieve at least 90% voluntary contribution to ensure continuous availability of safe blood.
He later dwelled on the eligibility criteria for blood donation, noting that individuals aged between 18 to 65 years, weighing over 45 kg, with normal blood pressure, hemoglobin levels above 12.5 gm/dl, and no risk of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs), were eligible to donate blood.
Furthermore, citing medical facts, Dr. Yepthomi said a healthy adult person has around 5-6 litres of blood, of which only 350-450 ml was drawn during donation. He added that the human body replenishes plasma within 24-48 hours, red blood cells in about three weeks, and platelets within minutes.
He added that males can donate blood every three months, while females can do so every four months.
Dispelling common myths, Dr. Yepthomi reassured that blood donation does not weaken the body or cause long-term side effects, and encouraged students to become voluntary donors.
Meanwhile, ICTC Nurse Counsellor, CIHSR, Bendangtemsula, spoke on the session on HIV and AIDS awareness, explaining that HIV attacks the immune system by targeting CD4 cells. She noted that while two types of HIV exist globally, HIV-1 and HIV-2, only HIV-1 was prevalent in India.
Highlighting the major modes of transmission, she said HIV can spread through unprotected sexual contact, transfusion of infected blood, breast milk, and sharing of contaminated needles.
She however clarified that the virus is not transmitted through casual contact such as hugging, kissing, eating, or bathing together, etc.
She further emphasized that with proper Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), HIV-positive individuals can lead healthy lives, as ART reduces viral load and transmission risk. She also added that the state government provides ART medication free of cost.
She later underlined the importance of sex education in schools and colleges, urging young people not to shy away from learning about safe practices and early testing.
Explaining the “window period”, the time between HIV infection and when it can be reliably detected, she advised that those exposed to potential risk should test after one month, and again after three months for confirmation.
She concluded by reiterating that while HIV cannot be cured, it can be effectively controlled through medication and regular monitoring every six months.
She later encouraged the students not to shy away or stigmatize friends or relatives infected with the dieses, and to treat all with same love and care.