World Blood Donor Day is annually observed across the globe on 14th June to create awareness about the need for safe blood and blood products for transfusion and of the critical contribution voluntary, unpaid blood donors make to national health systems.
World Health Organization(WHO) along with the international organisations like the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies(IFRC), the International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations(IFBDO) and the International Society of Blood Transfusion(ISBT) observes the day.
World Blood Donor Day 2021:
The World Blood Donor Day 2021 is hosted by Italy through its National Blood Centre and the global event will be held in Rome on 14 June 2021.
- The slogan or campaign theme of 2021 is “Give blood and keep the world beating”.
Background:
In 2005 World Health Assembly (WHA) designated the 14th June of every year as World Blood Donors Day to thank the blood donors and to encourage more people to donate blood.
Objectives to observe:
- Recognise the blood donors across the globe and to create awareness on the need of regular, unpaid blood donation.
- Promote the community values of blood donation in community solidarity and social cohesion.
Blood Donation and its importance:
i.Most of the low and middle-income countries do not have access to safe blood due to low blood donation and scarcity of equipment to test blood.
ii.Around 42% of blood is collected from high-income countries which house only 16% of the world’s population.
iii.Annually around 500000 women across the globe die during pregnancy, childbirth or in the postpartum period. 99% of them are in the developing world.
About World Health Organization(WHO):
Director-General– Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Ethiopia)
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
