Every blood donor is a Life saver: Nara Bhuvaneswari

Recalling the vision of the late NTR, Bhuvaneswari said he had immense love towards people and considered working for their welfare an integral part of his life. He always wanted to improve the living standards of ordinary people and ensure that even the last person in society had access to a better life.With the resolve to carry forward NTR’s ideals and vision, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu established the NTR Memorial Trust, she said.For the past 29 years, the Trust has been working across several areas, including healthcare, education, women’s empowerment, livelihood support and access to safe drinking water. While the Trust had undertaken numerous initiatives over the years, there was still much more to be done, she said.

Bhuvaneswari emphasised that the NTR Memorial Trust did not belong to any one individual or group, but to everyone who believed in serving society. She called upon people to become partners in the Trust’s mission, which had grown on the strength of public trust and support.

Highlighting the Trust’s work in healthcare, Bhuvaneswari said the Sanjeevani mobile clinics were taking medical services directly to people in need.Through the NTR Arogya Rathams, the Trust aims to extend healthcare services to the poor across all Assembly constituencies in both Telugu-speaking states. Special attention is being given to tribal communities and people living in remote areas, where free medical consultations and medicines are provided. Under the NTR Sujala initiative, the Trust has also established reverse osmosis (RO) plants in several areas to provide safe drinking water.

Nara Bhuvaneswari said the Trust was also expanding its efforts in education, with a focus on helping underprivileged students develop the skills and opportunities needed to build a better future and contribute meaningfully to society.On women’s empowerment, Bhuvaneswari said the Trust was working to help women become confident and self-reliant. Its efforts went beyond providing training, focusing on building the confidence that women could support their families and shape their own futures.Through the Stree Shakti Handicrafts Store, the Trust provides marketing opportunities for products made by women, helping them reach customers and earn a livelihood.The Trust has also stood by people during natural disasters and other difficult times. From floods and cyclones to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has extended assistance to those affected, she said.

Bhuvaneswari expressed concern over the challenges faced by children suffering from thalassemia, who require regular blood transfusions and whose families often live with constant anxiety over access to safe and timely treatment. Recognising this need, the Trust launched a programme in Hyderabad last year to provide free blood to children with thalassemia.Through its Thalassemia Care Centre, the Trust is taking steps to provide free blood transfusions, essential filters and medicines to support these children and their families.She announced that a thalassemia care centre would soon be established in Vijayawada as well. The Trust already operates blood banks in Guntur, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Rajamahendravaram. With Vijayawada serving as a key junction in Andhra Pradesh, the new blood bank will help more patients access blood during medical emergencies, she said.

Bhuvaneswari expressed confidence that the facility would provide timely support to patients and families who otherwise might struggle to arrange blood when every minute matters.She reiterated that blood donation was one of the simplest yet most meaningful ways to save lives and urged people to make it a regular practice.

The Trust would continue to expand its services through the Vijayawada blood bank, she said, adding that plans were also being considered to open another blood bank in Anantapur within a month.

Bhuvaneswari felicitated donors who had contributed to the NTR Memorial Trust and individuals who had rendered valuable services to its initiatives. She urged more people to come forward and support the poor through blood donation and healthcare services.