“The theme of this year’s World Blood Donor Day is “Blood
connects us all”. The motto emphasizes on blood donors appreciation and
highlights their crucial role in saving millions of lives.
According to WHO, 108 million blood donations are collected
globally and blood donation by 1% of the population can meet a nation’s most
basic requirements for blood. The latter underscores the importance of global campaign
to raise awareness for blood donation. Voluntary, unpaid blood donations are
the foundation of a safe, sustainable blood supply for each country which can
provide sufficient blood & blood products for patients. That is why global
framework for action to achieve 100% voluntary blood donation has been
developed jointly by the World Health Organization and the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. As the President of Iranian
Medical Council, I highly appreciate blood donors’ voluntary, life-saving gifts
of blood. I do hope by following national strategies based on collaboration
between health related organizations, we promote volunteer blood donation
nationwide to assure the availability of sufficient supplies of safe blood
& blood products for our patients. Happy World Blood Donor Day.” IRIMC President said.
This year, the theme of World Blood Donor Day is “Blood
connects us all”, highlighting the common bond that all people share in their
blood. The slogan, “Share life, give blood”, draws attention to the role that
voluntary donations play in encouraging people to care for one another and
promoting community cohesion. Voluntary, unpaid blood donations must increase
rapidly in more than half the world’s countries to ensure a reliable supply of
safe blood.
“Although we have many external differences, the same vital
blood pumps through all our veins,” said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO
Director-General. “Voluntary, unpaid blood donation is the act of giving life –
the greatest gift any person can give or receive.”
WHO encourages all countries to establish blood services
based on full voluntary non-remunerated blood donations. Today, only 62
countries get close to 100% of their national blood supplies from voluntary
unpaid blood donations, with 34 countries still dependent on family donors and
even paid donors for more than 75% of their blood supply.
Voluntary
blood donors come from all walks of life but they have one thing in common:
they put others before themselves — people they don’t even know,” said Dr Ed
Kelley, Director of the Department of Service Delivery and Safety at WHO. “Each
time they donate blood, they commit an act of selfless heroism.”
World
Blood Donor Day has been celebrated annually since 2004, with the aim of
improving the safety and adequacy of national blood supplies by promoting a
substantial increase in the number of safe, voluntary, unpaid donors who give
blood regularly.
This
year, the host country for World Blood Donor Day is Netherlands, through
Sanquin, the national blood supply organization. The global event will take
place on 14 June 2016 in Amsterdam, attended by His Majesty King
Willem-Alexander.
To raise the awareness of the community and enhance their
engagement with blood donation, Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization (IBTO)
is going to run an international campaign and photo contest named "Blood
Donation from World Blood Donor Day to National Blood Donation Day".
The interested applicants are requested to capture any moment
while donating blood during the mentioned period and upload it through their
website. The competition will end on the Iranian National Blood Donation Day
that coincides with the 43rd anniversary of IBTO's establishment.
For more information, please click here
Dr.
Shima Naghavi, Director of International Affairs