"More blood, more life" is this year's theme of the World Blood Donor Day, June 14, which is organized by four major international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO). Global Network for Blood Donation, a Rotarian Action Group (GNBD) supports the event and urges Rotarians and Rotaractors to ask their club to join the celebration during the week of June 14 and recognize those who donate blood.
The aim of the World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) is to raise international and national awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products for transfusion and of the critical contribution voluntary, unpaid blood donors make to national health systems.
If 1% of a country's population donates blood, it would be sufficient to meet the country's basic requirements for blood for transfusion, according to WHO.
But donation rates are still less than 1% of the population in 77 countries. All are developing and transitional countries .
WHO estimates, that around 93 million blood donations are donated annually by all types of blood donors world-wide (based on reports from 173 countries), but this is still far less than needed.
Argentina hosts this year's global launch of World Blood Donor Day.
This is the first time that the official launch of World Blood Donor Day will be hosted in Latin America.
Events will take place world-wide to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.
The World Blood Donor Day was established in 2004.
* The World Health Organization (WHO-WBDD)
* the International Federation of the Societies of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFCR)
* International Society for Blood Transfusion (ISBT) and
* the International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations (FIODS/IFBDO)
have since then worked collaboratively to promote voluntary blood donation through the celebration of World Blood Donor Day and other events.
Other collaborating partners, listed at WHO's website, are:
Advancing Transfusion and Cellular Therapies Worldwide (AABB)
Recruitment Professionals (ADRP)
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
World Council of Churches (WCC)
Contact:
WHO, e-mail: worldblooddonorday@who.int
GNBD Director Niels Mikkelsen, e-mail: Mikkelsen.denmark@gmail.com