Voluntary donors increased more than half in 6 years

collecting all of their blood supplies from voluntary unpaid donors has increased more than half between 2002 and 2011. This year’s theme is set to encourage more and more people to voluntarily donate blood and save more lives. According to Dr. Neelam Dhingro, Coordinator, Blood Transfusions Safety at WHO, WHO’s goal is for all countries to obtain voluntary unpaid donations by the year 2020. Since 2008, 62 countries are obtaining all blood supplies by voluntary unpaid donors.

In 70 countries voluntary unpaid blood donations have increased by ten percent between 2007 and 2008. India had the largest increase from 3.6 to 4.6 million. Other countries also had shown major increases which included the countries of Italy, Japan and the United States. Here in Pakistan, several activities were held on Tuesday in various parts of the country to raise awareness among public of the need for safe blood and its products.

All stakeholders concerned with blood transfusion joined hands and participated in these activities and events designed to promote voluntary non-remunerated blood donation, on the occasion of World Blood Donor Day observed on Tuesday. National Programme Manager, National Blood Transfusion Programme, Dr. Hasan Abbas Zaheer talking to APP said the day is celebrated every year as an annual event to appreciate the sacrifice of the voluntary unpaid donors who donate their blood to save lives. He said in countries where national blood programmes exist, the World Blood Donor Day has become an integral part of the national level activities and serves as an occasion to thank, appreciate and acknowledge the sacrifice of the voluntary blood donors.

He said the theme for World Blood Donor Day 2011 is “More Blood More Life” which reinforces the urgent need for more people all over the world to become life-savers by volunteering to donate their blood on a regular basis. He said the theme will support national blood transfusion services, blood donor organizations and other non-governmental organizations in strengthening and expanding their voluntary blood donor programmes and to reinforce regional, national and local campaigns. Dr. Hasan Abbas Zaheer said by designating one special day to celebrate the role of voluntary blood donors.