World Blood Donor Day

OV Digital Desk
4 Min Read
world blood donor day

World Blood Donor Day takes place on 14 June each year. Every year countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day (WBDD). The event serves 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.

A blood service that gives patients access to safe blood and blood products in sufficient quantity is a key component of an effective health system. The global theme of World Blood Donor Day changes each year in recognition of the selfless individuals who donate their blood for people unknown to them.

Transfusion of blood and blood products helps and save millions of lives every year. It can help patients who suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer and with higher quality of life and supports complex medical and surgical procedures. It also has an essential, life-saving role in maternal and perinatal care. Access to safe and sufficient blood and blood products can help reduce rates of death and disability due to severe bleeding during delivery and after childbirth.

In many countries, there is not an adequate supply of safe blood, and blood services face the challenge of making sufficient blood available, while also ensuring its quality and safety.

History

World Blood Donor Day is celebrated every year by people around the world on 14 June. It is celebrated on the birthday anniversary of Karl Landsteiner on 14 June 1868. Landsteiner was awarded the Nobel Prize for his discovery of the ABO blood group system.

In May 2005, WHO with its 192 member states established Blood Donor Day at the 58th World Health Assembly in order to motivate all the countries worldwide to thank blood donors for their precious steps and for saving the lives of people.

In 2014, 60 countries have their national blood supplies based on 99-100% voluntary unpaid blood donations, with 73 countries still largely dependent on family and paid donors.

Importance

Blood is a necessary resource for the planned treatments and the urgent interventions. It is helpful for patients who are suffering from life-threatening conditions for living longer and with a higher quality of life. It supports complex medical and surgical procedures.

Themes

For 2021, the World Blood Donor Day slogan will be “Give blood and keep the world beating”. The message highlights the essential contribution blood donors make to keeping the world pulsating by saving lives and improving others’ health. It reinforces the global call for more people all over the world to donate blood regularly and contribute to better health.

A special focus of this year’s campaign will be the role of young people in ensuring a safe blood supply. In many countries, young people have been at the forefront of activities and initiatives aimed at achieving safe blood supplies through voluntary, non-remunerated blood donations. Young people form a large sector of the population in many societies and are generally full of idealism, enthusiasm and creativity.

Host for world blood donor day 2021 events

Italy will host World Blood Donor Day 2021 through its National Blood Centre. The global event will be held in Rome on 14 June 2021.

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