Make Blood Available And Accessible: World Blood Donor Day

In times when urgent medical aid is needed, a blood donor’s contribution helps you and the ones close to you. To celebrate and encourage blood donation as a voluntary practice and the donors, World Health Organisation marks June 14 as World Blood Donor Day. The theme this year is “Give Blood. Give Now. Give Often.” The aim is to make blood donation more of a regular practice by citizens. It seeks to eliminate the rush of the last minute and donation only during emergencies and accidents. This would help build ample resources that can be useful at the point where it is urgently needed. Blood donations by 1% of the country’s population can help meet the need of blood. It is just a matter of awareness and realization by the eligible citizens of our country.

112.5 million blood donations are collected globally, coming from high-income countries, where roughly 18% of the population of the world lives. It is very difficult to get this blood to countries outside the developed nations, where the shortage is even more prominent. WHO reports claim that in countries with low income, 65% of the donations from the developed nations are used for blood transfusions of children under the age of 5. But still, the global shortage is almost 40 million units every year (Borgen Magazine Report 2014).

Donors who give blood voluntarily are helping facilitate successful treatment of citizens who do not have access to these services. 57% of the world’s countries collect blood through unpaid volunteers. It is required for women with complex pregnancies, patients of anemia and many other surgeries and operations. Patients suffer unnecessarily or die in many cases since safe blood transfusions are unavailable.  

When natural disasters hit countries that may or may not be medically equipped to handle the injured, a stocked blood bank will come in handy. At the time of emergencies, it will be hard to manage resources. This year’s theme, therefore, encourages donating blood as often as possible, and not just when there is a national or global emergency. Unpaid, voluntary blood donors ensure a standard base and safe blood transfusions, in times of need. One unit of blood can help several patients.

The management of the blood, its access and reach have proven to be ineffective in the past. Add that to the misconceptions that people have about blood donations, and the picture does not look very good. The National Blood Transfusion Council looks after the provision of a safe and adequate amount of blood to anyone in need. Over the years, the NBTC has been working to provide Blood Transfusion Systems, reorganize them and make the latest technology available for the citizens. After guidelines and supervision of the government body, people are more aware and trusting of the practice. This is why the number of blood donors and donation awareness camps have increased in our country over past five years.

What better good deed can you ask for than saving someone’s life? Respond to the global need of blood and eradicate the shortage by donating as often as possible.