Metinvest's employees took an active part in blood donation throughout 2023. The Kryvyi Rih blood transfusion station reports more than a thousand blood donations made by employees of Ingulets, Central and Northern Iron Ore Enrichment Works to save human lives.
Ukraine's fight for freedom and regaining territories approaches the two-year mark. Throughout this time, the country has been in need of significantly more donated blood than in peacetime. Donation campaigns help meet urgent needs for the lifesaving resource, but medics emphasise that voluntary donors are needed to donate blood on a regular basis.
The team of Ingulets GOK demonstrates good results in organising regular donations. Last year, the enterprise's employees donated blood 821 times. Donors are motivated by management and the trade union committee. Transport to the Kryvyi Rih blood transfusion station is organised for groups willing to donate blood. Oleksandr SHAVKUN, an honorary blood donor of Ukraine and an excavator operator at Ingulets GOK, tells about his experience of donating blood:
"I first became a donor at the age of 18. I have been donating blood for 20 years now. I believe that this is extremely important, especially nowadays. I want to be useful because it's the least I can do. I believe that my blood will help and save someone's life. If you can influence and contribute to something, you should do it without any hesitation. Blood is being shed for our land, and it is at this moment that it is most needed!"
Employees of Northern Iron Ore Enrichment Works also donate their blood for the common cause. Yaroslav DZIADUK, an activist of the youth organisation of Northern GOK, has been a blood donor for four years already. The man works as an assistant haul unit operator at the Hannivskyi open pit mine. He says that he has been donating blood every two or three months since the outbreak of the war.
"I used to do it less often, maybe twice a year. But now I clearly understand the importance of creating blood stocks to treat the sick and wounded. My first negative group is in demand. When the blood transfusion station called me, inviting me to donate blood, I immediately agreed. After each donation, I make a post on my page calling for people to join this important cause. I want to promote blood donation at Northern GOK, and I will focus my work in the plant's youth organisation on this," says Yaroslav.
It is not the first time that representatives of the Kryvyi Rih blood transfusion station have asked the activists of Central Iron Ore Enrichment Works to replenish the stocks of this invaluable resource, and the employees never refuse. The young employees of Central Iron Ore Enrichment Works recently held a big volunteer blood donation campaign. Both experienced donors and motivated newcomers took part.
"It was the first time I donated blood, and I was a bit nervous. But I understand that even my small contribution to the cause can be lifesaving for other people. I don't regret my decision in the slightest. I feel comfortable, there was no ill health. I advise all healthy people not to be afraid of the procedure, because you can help those in need, and this is what good deeds are essentially about. Of course, I would like to wish all people to be healthy and to have fewer situations when someone needs a blood transfusion," said Maryna LEVCHENKO, leading communications specialist at Central GOK.
Over the past year, Metinvest's employees from the three Kryvyi Rih mining and processing plants made a total of 1,150 donations, which is 517.5 litres of blood that will help save the lives of 3,450 Ukrainians.
