Every year, on 14 June, World Blood Donor Day is celebrated. The day offers a chance to call on governments and national health authorities to provide sufficient resources to increase the collection of blood from voluntary, unpaid donors and to manage access to blood and transfusion for those who need it.
World Blood Donor Day 2023: Theme
For 2022, the World Blood Donor Day slogan will be “Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often”.
World Blood Donor Day: History
On 14 June 1868, Karl Landsteiner, who was born in Austria on 14 June 1868, had his birth anniversary marked as World Blood Donor Day. The Nobel Prize was awarded to him for his immense contribution to health science by discovering the ABO blood group system. World Blood Donor Day was celebrated for the first time in 2004 by WHO to encourage all nations to recognize blood donors for their selfless efforts that have saved the lives of so many people.
Read More: 14 June in Indian and World History
World Blood Donor Day: Significance
World Health Organization (WHO) has founded World Blood Donor Day to encourage national blood transfusion services, as well as blood donor organizations, to improve and expand their voluntary blood donation programs by reinforcing national and local campaigns. This year, Mexico is the host country for the global event. They will hold the event through their National Blood Centre on 14 June 2022. The necessity for blood is universal and there are many low and middle-income countries experiencing blood shortages nowadays.
a) raise global awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products for transfusion
c) Support national blood transfusion services, blood donor organizations, and other non-governmental organizations in strengthening and expanding their voluntary blood donor programs by reinforcing national and local campaigns.