8 May 2020 President Meta on the World Thalassemia Day: Let’s Promote Volunteering to Increase the Number of Permanent Blood Donors
On the occasion of May 8, World Thalassemia Day, the President of the Republic H. E. Ilir Meta, in the framework of the initiative undertaken by him and in cooperation with the “Alliance for Blood Donation”, participated in another blood donation session for thalassemia children, held at the Faculty of Foreign Languages of the State University of Tirana.
President Meta expressed his gratitude to the Dean Artur Sula, the students, the pedagogical and the administrative staff of this faculty for their willingness to join this noble and humane cause.
The Head of State thanked the Albanian Thalassemica Association, the Albanian Volunteer Blood Donors Organization, the Albanian Red Cross, the blood donors, especially young men and women, who voluntarily contributed to this valuable and vital act.
In the presence also of the Deputy Minister of Health, Mira Racakolli, the President of the Republic underlined:
“It is a special pleasure for me that today we are at the Faculty of Foreign Languages. I want to thank the Dean, all the academic staff, but also all the students who on this special day, on World Thalassemia Day have opened their doors and have undertaken this very symbolic and concrete session of blood donation.
Each of us must understand that this is a civic duty, because we all need blood. So we need to commit to increasing the number of permanent donors.
We have been in a somehow difficult situation due to COVID-19 in recent months, also due to the objective but also psychological limitations that are often created.
Despite the difficulties, today is another moment of appeal for all citizens, especially for all young people, to contribute to donate blood, as this is even a healthier process for the organism of the one who donates, but above all it is an extraordinary and very humane contribution to our fellow citizens, who have a permanent need for blood and in this way we make a very valuable contribution.
At the same time, today is a day that reminds us of the need to further improve our policies to fight Thalassemia. This is very important so that in the future we have less citizens affected by this disease as possible.
Let us all show together that we are a solidary society, a responsible society, a European society. This is a great opportunity for everyone to demonstrate themselves not once a year, but consistently and sustainably.
The better friends are known in the most difficult days, therefore their contribution is considered multifold and historic, given that the blood donation took place at a time of pandemic.”