* World Blood Donor Day theme is a time to remember the health of blood donors and the quality of care accorded to such people
* A critical time in encouraging blood donors and building the commitment and willingness to donate blood regularly
By Lisa Lamya, MANA
This year’s commemoration of the World Blood Donor Day was observed under the theme; ‘20 years of celebrating giving: Thank you, blood donors!’ and was chosen to reflect on achievements, address challenges and envision a future where safe blood transfusion is universally accessible.
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This is contained in a statement from World Health Organization (WHO), Africa Region, adding that the theme is also a time to remember the health of blood donors and the quality of care accorded to such people.
WHO Africa Region director, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti stressed in the statement that the need to raise adequate and sustainable funding in a bid to continue to build systems and capacities to increase blood donation rates and separate donated blood into its components that can be stored for long-term use.
The World Blood Donor Day was globally commemorated on Friday and Malawi Blood Transfusion Services (MBTS) arranged to have it observed last Saturday but was postponed following the death of Vice-President Saulos Chilima and eight others in the tragic plane crash last Monday.
Moeti emphasised that the 20th anniversary was a critical time in encouraging blood donors and building the commitment and willingness to donate blood regularly.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti
“I recommend that communities support those who donate blood to encourage others to donate,” she said in the statement. “This has the potential to create an exponential increase in the availability of life-saving donor blood when and where it is needed most.”
Dr. Moeti also encouraged organisations to support capacity building efforts for efficient national blood transfusion services such as that offered by MBTS
She also took cognizance of the critical role that blood transfusion plays in the provision of life-saving health care to vulnerable people, such as mothers during childbirth, under-nourished and malaria-affected children, victims of trauma & accidents and patients suffering from sickle cell and other chronic diseases.
Every year, the global village celebrates the World Blood Donor Day, which 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.
WHO maintains that: “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.
“The 20th anniversary of World Blood Donor Day is an excellent and timely opportunity to thank blood donors across the world for their life-saving donations over the years and honour the profound impact on both patients and donors.
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“It is also a timely moment to address continued challenges, and accelerate progress towards a future where safe blood transfusion is universally accessible.
The objectives of the campaign are to:
* thank and recognize the millions of voluntary blood donors who have contributed to the health and well-being of millions of people around the world;
* showcase the achievements and challenges of national blood programmes and share best practices and lessons learned;
* highlight the continuous need for regular, unpaid blood donation to achieve universal access to safe blood transfusion; and
* promote a culture of regular blood donation among young people and the general public and increase the diversity and sustainability of the blood donor pool.—Additional reporting by Maravi Express
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