World Blood Donor Day 2016, June 14

世界獻血者日，6月14日。
Всемирный день донора крови, 14 июня.
World Blood Donor Day, 14 June.
Día Mundial del Donante de Sangre, 14 de junio.
Journée mondiale du donneur de sang, 14 Juin.
يوم العالمي للمتبرعين بالدم 14 يونيو.



 A way of motivating regular blood donors to continue giving Blood, and to motivate people in good health.

Theme 2016 : "Blood connects us all."
Тема 2016: "Кровь соединяет нас всех»,
2016年的主題：“血接我們所有人”，
Tema 2016: "Tu sangre me solvo la vida, Comparte la vida, dona sangre",
Thème 2016 : Votre sang m'a sauvé la vie, Partagez la vie, Donnez votre sang.
موضوع 2016: "الدم يربط لنا جميعا"،


“Although we have many external differences, the same vital blood pumps through all our veins,” said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. “Voluntary, unpaid blood donation is the act of giving life – the greatest gift any person can give or receive.”

About 108 million blood donations are collected globally every year. Nearly 50% of these blood donations are collected in high-income countries, home to less than 20% of the world’s population. The average blood donation rate is more than 9 times greater in high-income countries than in low-income countries.

However, in many countries, demand exceeds supply, and blood services face the challenge of making sufficient blood available, while also ensuring its quality and safety. An adequate supply can only be assured through regular donations by voluntary, unpaid blood donors.
Regular voluntary unpaid blood donors are the foundation of a safe blood supply because they are associated with low levels of infection that can be transmitted by transfusions, including HIV and hepatitis viruses. Around the world, 25 countries are unable to screen all donated blood for one or more of these infections due to irregular supply of test kits, staff shortages, poor quality test kits, or lack of basic quality in laboratories.

WHO encourages all countries to establish blood services based on full voluntary non-remunerated blood donations. Today, only 62 countries get close to 100% of their national blood supplies from voluntary unpaid blood donations, with 34 countries still dependent on family donors and even paid donors for more than 75% of their blood supply. Blood can be used whole, or separated into its component parts, such as red blood cells, platelets, plasma, and other “substances” that can be used to treat a wide range of diseases. A single unit of blood can be used to benefit several patients.

Transfusions of blood and blood products helps save millions of lives every year, including during emergencies such as conflicts, natural disasters, and childbirth. It can help patients suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer and with higher quality of life, and supports complex medical and surgical procedures.


Message from Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, World Health Organization South-East Asia Region - WHO SEARO,On the occasion of World Blood Donor Day (14 June 2016).


Safe blood transfusion saves millions of lives each year. Blood cannot be synthesized artificially. Human beings are the sole source of this precious, life-saving product. It can help patients suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer and enjoy a higher quality of life, and supports complex medical and surgical procedures. It likewise has an essential, life-saving role in maternal and child care, and also during man-made and natural disasters.
But blood transfusions can also be a source of disease transmission. Blood screening helps maximize the safety of blood transfusion. The risk of infections transmitted through blood transfusion can be considerably reduced by promoting voluntary, non-remunerated blood donations. WHO’s goal is for all countries to obtain their blood supplies from voluntary and non-remunerated blood donors by 2020.
On 14 June every year countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Society of Blood Transfusion, the International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations and various other partners and stakeholders. The event serves to thank voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood and to raise awareness of the need for regular blood donations to ensure adequate availability of blood and blood products for all patients in need.
The theme of this year’s campaign is “Blood connects us all”. It focuses on thanking blood donors, and highlights the dimension of sharing and the connection between blood donors and patients. In addition, we have adopted the slogan “share life, give blood” to draw attention to the role that the voluntary donation system plays in encouraging people to care for one another and
in promoting community cohesion.
Against an annual estimated requirement of 18 million blood units in the South-East Asia Region, around 15.9 million units are collected every year. Around 82% of donated blood is obtained from voluntary donors. 100% of collected blood is screened for transfusion-transmitted infections. In 2000, WHO developed a global strategy for safe blood to reduce the global burden of diseases due to unsafe transfusion. This strategy emphasizes the need for establishing nationally coordinated blood transfusion services
There is a need to involve, educate and empower communities to regularly and voluntarily donate blood to meet national needs. WHO has been at the vanguard of the movement to improve global blood safety since 1975, as mandated by successive World Health Assembly resolutions. The Regional Office for South East Asia is working closely with member states to support them to escalate their blood transfusion services.
The Regional Office will continue to provide technical support to efforts in the region to augment the availability of safe blood. We are also committed to working closely with collaborating organizations to promote voluntary blood donations through the active involvement of governmental and nongovernmental organizations. Together, we are striving towards the ultimate aim of assuring universal access to safe blood and blood products.

Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director,

WHO SEARO Office

 

 

Message of the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, on World Blood Donor Day 2016.

 

On 14 June 2016, the African Region joins the global community to commemorate World Blood Donor Day under the theme “Blood connects us all”. This theme aims to highlight the dimension of sharing and connection between blood donors and patients and to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.
Blood transfusion has an essential life-saving role in all aspects of health care including maternal and child care, particularly in cases of haemorrhage during or after childbirth, severe anaemia; for victims of trauma and accidents; and in the event of man-made and natural disasters. It also supports complex medical and surgical procedures in health care, among others.
In the WHO African Region, the demand for transfusion of blood and blood products is high and the national blood transfusion services are facing the challenge of making sufficient, safe and quality blood and blood products available. From 2013 to 2016, blood donations rose from about 3.9 million units to 4.4 million units. That is 11.4 percent of increase, but this will still cover only around 50 percent of the annual requirement of blood. So far, only 21 countries are collecting 80 to 100 percent of their national blood needs through voluntary unpaid blood donors.
The shortage of blood in most countries in the African Region is often due to the weak implementation of policies, and lack of systems and structures to ensure an adequate supply of safe blood and blood products to meet the needs of all patients requiring transfusion. In addition, most young people and adults have not yet embraced the culture of voluntarism when it comes to blood donation.
I express my gratitude to voluntary unpaid blood donor for their regular blood donation and thank blood donor associations, nongovernmental organizations and volunteer groups which are working alongside health workers to make safe blood available throughout the African Region.
Concrete actions are needed to improve the safety, quality, accessibility and timely availability of blood and blood products in the African Region. As we commemorate World Blood Donor Day, I call upon every healthy person, national health officials, patient groups, professional societies, civil society organizations, the private sector and international organizations to work towards ensuring their countries’ self-sufficiency in safe blood and blood products. This will contribute towards achieving universal health coverage and Sustainable Development Goals in the African Region.
WHO remains committed to continue to provide technical support to Member States to strengthen service delivery and safety as well as improve access to safe blood and blood products for patients in need in the African Region.

Dr Matshidiso Moeti

WHO Regional Office for Africa

 

Other Statements :

 

Message from Dr Ala Alwan, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean.

Joint Statement Addressing Outpouring of Support from Blood Donors; AABB, America’s Blood Centers and the American Red Cross. 

Forum : World Blood Donor Day -14 JUNE .

 This year, the theme of World Blood Donor Day is “Blood connects us all”, highlighting the common bond that all people share in their blood. The slogan, “Share life, give blood”, draws attention to the role that voluntary donation systems play in encouraging people to care for one another and promoting community cohesion.

 Q&A: Why should I donate blood?

The campaign aims to highlight stories of people whose lives have been saved through Blood donation, as a way of motivating regular blood donors to continue giving Blood, and to motivate people in good health.


14 June

 

Events : Worldwide events on World Blood Donor Day 2016    

        

 

Africa : African Regions on the celebration of the World Blood Donor Day 2016.

 

Latin America : Ecuador, host country for the celebration of World Blood Donor Day in the Americas - PAHO WHO

 

Asia and the Pacific  : Connecting everyone through the gift of life. World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific.

 Europe :

 

 The World Blood Donor Day 2016 global event will be held in Amsterdam on 14 June 2016. The host country Netherlands through Sanquin..
Stockholm's blood donation service Blodcentralen uses text messages to build loyalty among donors WHO Regional Office for Europe.

America : Let's celebrate World Blood Donor Day "Share life, give blood ",

 

 

News :

• Genetic code of red blood cells discovered.
•  Voluntary unpaid blood donations must increase rapidly to meet 2020 goal.
• On World Blood Donor Day 2016, UN health agency calls for rapid increase in voluntary blood donations.
• Strengthening Public Medical laboratories in the WHO African Region: A critical need for disease control.
• Latin America and the Caribbean approaching half-way mark toward goal of 100% voluntary Blood donation- PAHO-WHO.
• New Zealand, saying a huge ‪#‎THANKYOU‬ to all of our blood donor.
• Roll up a sleeve to help celebrate World Blood Donor Day 2016. American Red Cross
• ВОЗ подготовила плакаты для кампании 2016 года на тему «Поделитесь жизнью, сдайте кровь». Они существуют в формате A2, A3 и A4.
• 日本赤十字社 -６月14日は「世界献血者デー」です。
• Japan, 今年のテーマは、“Blood connects us all（私たちをつなぐ愛の血液）”です.
• Tweets, #GiveBlood



Add caption

 Recommendations :

Women with blood type O may be at greater risk of obstetrical haemorrhage

Safe Blood Components

Requirements for a blood component programme include:

° Effective strategies for the recruitment and retention of voluntary non-remunerated blood donors, including apheresis donors, where applicable, to ensure a safe, adequate and reliable source of blood for component preparation

° Centralization or regionalization of blood processing and testing to permit economies of scale and uniform standards of performance
° Systems and standardized procedures for donor selection, blood collection, processing, testing, storage and transportation to ensure the consistent quality, safety and efficacy of blood components
° Training of BTS staff in all activities related to the provision of safe blood components
° Training in appropriate blood component therapy for staff involved in the clinical transfusion process

The Clinical Use of Blood.

Ensure the safe and appropriate use of blood and blood products.
These strategies should include:

° Prevention, early diagnosis and effective treatment of conditions that could result in the need for transfusion

° Use of good Surgical and anaesthetic techniques, Pharmaceutical and Medical devices to reduce blood loss

° Availability and use of simple alternatives for volume replacement, including intravenous replacement fluids (crystalloids and colloids)

° Appropriate prescribing of blood and blood products in accordance with national guidelines

° Safe pre-transfusion procedures

° Safe administration of blood and Blood products.

Developing  a National Blood System.

Core components of a national blood system include:

° Specific unit within the ministry of health for coordination, programme management and monitoring of the blood system throughout the country

° Advisory body which brings together the major stakeholders to assist the ministry

of health in formulating policy and plans, setting standards and advising on key issues

° Blood transfusion service/s (BTS) involved in donor recruitment, blood and plasma collection, and the testing, processing, storage and distribution of blood and blood products.

Common service delivery models include:

° A single service provider, either governmental or delegated to a not-forprofit, nongovernmental organization

° Multiple service providers, including governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and private institutions

° Hospital blood banks, clinical transfusion services and transfusion committees for the timely provision of compatible blood and its safe and appropriate use.

 

 

PUBLICATIONS :

Blood donor selection: World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on assessing Blood Donor suitability for Blood donation.

Blood donor counselling

 

Red blood cells.



World Blood Donor Day 2015, June 14

Всемирный день донора крови, 14 июня.
 世界獻血者日‬,‎6月14日‬.

World Blood Donor Day, June 14.

Día Mundial del Donante de Sangre, 14 de Junio.

Journée mondiale du donneur de sang, 14 June.
العالم متبرعين بالدم - 14حزيران/ يونيو

  



Тема 2015 года : "Спасибо за спасение моей жизни."

 Theme 2015 : " Thank for saving my Life. "

Tema 2015 : "Gracias por salvarme la vida."

Theme 2015 : « Merci de me sauver la vie.»

 "شكراً على إنقاذ حياتي"

WHO calls for increase in voluntary blood donors to save millions of lives

News release

​

11 JUNE 2015 | GENEVA - On World Blood Donor Day, 14 June, the WHO is calling for increased regular blood donations from voluntary, unpaid donors in order to save millions of lives globally each year.
The theme of this year’s campaign is “Thank you for saving my life”. It encourages donors all over the world to donate blood voluntarily and regularly with the slogan “Give freely, give often. Blood donation matters.”
“The best way to guarantee a safe and adequate supply of blood and blood products for transfusion is to have a good supply of regular donations by voluntary unpaid blood donors,” says Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. “WHO encourages all Member States to obtain all their blood supplies from such donors.”
Transfusion of blood and blood products help patients suffering from life-threatening conditions to live longer and maintain a higher quality of life, and it supports complex medical and surgical procedures. Transfusion has an essential, life-saving role in maternal and child care and during man-made and natural disasters, such as the recent earthquakes in Nepal.
Severe bleeding during pregnancy, delivery or after childbirth is the single biggest cause of maternal death. Of the 289 000 women who died in childbirth in 2013 due to complications in pregnancy and childbirth, 27% were due to severe bleeding.

An increase in blood donations needed

The need for blood and blood products is increasing every year and in many countries - particularly low and middle income countries - demand exceeds supply, and blood services find it hard to make sufficient blood available, while also ensuring its quality and safety.
In 2012, nearly 108 million blood donations were collected worldwide. Almost half of these were collected in high-income countries, home to just 15% of the world’s population.
WHO estimates that a minimum of 10 donations of blood per 1000 population indicates there is general availability of blood in a country for transfusion. Yet, in the Organization’s most recent survey on blood safety and availability, 75 countries reported collecting fewer donations than this.
The percentage of blood donations from voluntary unpaid donors has been increasing over the last decade and 73 of the world’s countries now collect over 90% of their blood supply from such donors. However, more progress is needed, with 72 countries (8 high-income countries, 48 middle-income countries and 16 low-income countries) still collecting more than 50% of their blood supply from paid donors or replacement donors, which affects safety and adequate supply of blood and blood products. Replacement donors are often family members or friends who replenish blood used from a blood bank by a particular patient. 

Regular voluntary unpaid donors the safest source

“Blood collection from voluntary, unpaid donors, whose blood is screened for infections, is the cornerstone of a safe and sufficient blood supply in all countries,” says Dr Hernan Montenegro, Coordinator for Services Organization and Clinical Interventions Unit in the Department of Service Delivery and Safety at WHO. “More voluntary blood donors are needed to meet the increasing needs and to improve access to this life-saving therapy.”
A World Health Assembly resolution adopted in 2010 highlights that a secure supply of safe blood components, based on voluntary, unpaid blood donation, is an important national goal to prevent blood shortages.

Improving safety and accessibility of blood and blood products 

“Safe blood transfusion is one of the key life-saving interventions that should be available for patients in need,” says Dr Edward Kelley, Director of Service Delivery and Safety at WHO. “Yet, equitable access to safe blood still remains a major challenge in many countries. Providing safe and adequate supplies of blood and blood products should be an essential part of every country’s national health care policy and infrastructure.”
The Organization provides policy guidance and technical assistance to support countries in developing national blood systems based on voluntary unpaid blood donations, and implementing quality systems to ensure that safe and quality blood and blood products are available and used appropriately for all people who need them.

Global event in Shanghai

This year, the host country for World Blood Donor Day global event is China. The global event will take place on 14 June at the Shanghai Blood Centre, which is also the WHO Collaborating Centre for Blood Transfusion Services in China. 

Key facts

• Of the 108 million blood donations collected globally, approximately half of these are collected in the high-income countries, home to 18% of the world’s population. This shows an increase of almost 25% from 80 million donations collected in 2004.
• In low-income countries, up to 65% of blood transfusions are given to children under 5 years of age; whereas in high-income countries, the most frequently transfused patient group is over 65 years of age, accounting for up to 76% of all transfusions.
• Blood donation rate in high-income countries is 36.8 donations per 1000 population; 11.7 donations in middle-income and 3.9 donations in low-income countries.
• An increase of 8.6 million blood donations from voluntary unpaid donors has been reported from 2004 to 2012. In total, 73 countries collect over 90% of their blood supply from voluntary unpaid blood donors; however, 72 countries collect more than 50% of their blood supply from family/replacement or paid donors.
• Only 43 of 156 reporting countries produce plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMP) through the fractionation of plasma collected in the country, whereas the majority of the other 113 countries import PDMP from abroad.

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National blood policy and organization

Blood transfusion saves lives and improves health, but many patients requiring transfusion do not have timely access to safe blood. Providing safe and adequate blood should be an integral part of every country’s national health care policy and infrastructure.
WHO recommends that all activities related to blood collection, testing, processing, storage and distribution be coordinated at the national level through effective organization and integrated blood supply networks. The national blood system should be governed by national blood policy and legislative framework to promote uniform implementation of standards and consistency in the quality and safety of blood and blood products.
In 2012, 70% countries had a national blood policy, compared with 60% countries in 2004. Overall, 62% countries have specific legislation covering the safety and quality of blood transfusion:

• 81% high-income countries ;
• 60% middle-income countries; and
• 44% low-income countries.

Blood supply

About 108 million blood donations are collected worldwide. More than half of these are collected in high-income countries, home to 18% of the world’s population.
About 10 000 blood centres in 168 countries report collecting a total of 83 million donations. Collections at blood centres vary according to income group. The median annual donations per blood centre is 3100 in the low- and middle-income countries, as compared to 15 000 in the high-income countries.
There is a marked difference in the level of access to blood between low- and high-income countries. The whole blood donation rate is an indicator for the general availability of blood in a country. The median blood donation rate in high-income countries is 36.8 donations per 1000 population. This compares with 11.7 donations in middle-income countries and 3.9 donations in low-income countries.
75 countries report collecting fewer than 10 donations per 1 000 population. Of these, 40 countries are in WHO’s African Region, 8 in the Americas, 7 in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 6 in Europe, 6 in South-Eastern Asian and 8 in the Western Pacific. All are low- or middle-income countries.

Blood donors

Age and gender of blood donors

Data about the gender profile of blood donors show that globally 30% of blood donations are given by women, although this ranges widely. In 20 of the 111 reporting countries, less than 10% donations are given by female donors.
The age profile of blood donors shows that more young people donate blood in low- and middle-income countries, proportionally than in high-income countries (see Figure 1). Demographic information of blood donors is important for formulating and monitoring recruitment strategies. 



 

Age distribution of blood donors

Types of blood donors
There are 3 types of blood donors:

• voluntary unpaid;
• family/replacement; and
• paid.

An adequate and reliable supply of safe blood can be assured by a stable base of regular, voluntary, unpaid blood donors. These donors are also the safest group of donors as the prevalence of bloodborne infections is lowest among this group. World Health Assembly resolution (WHA63.12) urges all Member States to develop national blood systems based on voluntary unpaid donation and work towards the goal of self-sufficiency.
Data reported to WHO shows significant increases of voluntary unpaid blood donations in low- and middle-income countries:

• An increase of 8.6 million blood donations from voluntary unpaid donors from 2004 to 2012 has been reported by 162 countries. The highest increase of voluntary unpaid blood donations is in the South-East Asia (78%) and African (51%) Regions. The maximum increase in absolute numbers was reported in the Western Pacific Region.
• 73 countries collect more than 90% of their blood supply from voluntary unpaid blood donations (38 high-income countries, 26 middle-income countries and 9 low-income countries). This includes 60 countries with 100% (or more than 99%) of their blood supply from voluntary unpaid blood donors.
• In 72 countries, more than 50% of the blood supply is still dependent on family/replacement and paid blood donors (8 high-income countries, 48 middle-income countries and 16 low-income countries).
• 25 countries still report collecting paid donations in 2012, around 1 500 000 donations in total.

Blood screening

WHO recommends that all blood donations should be screened for infections prior to use. Screening should be mandatory for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis. Blood screening should be performed according to the quality system requirements.

• 25 countries are not able to screen all donated blood for 1 or more of the above infections.
• Irregular supply of test kits is one of the most commonly reported barriers to screening.
• 97% blood screening laboratories in high-income countries are monitored through external quality assessment schemes, as compared to 33% in middle-income countries and 16% in low-income countries.
• The prevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTI) in blood donations in high-income countries is considerably lower than in low- and middle-income countries (Table 1).

Table 1. Prevalence of TTIs in blood donations (Median, Interquartile range (IQR)), by income groups

	HIV	HBV	HCV
High-income countries	0.002%	0.02%	0.02%
	(0.0004%-0.02%)	(0.008% - 0.24%)	(0.004% - 0.22%)
Middle-income countries	0.12%	0.64%	0.37%
	(0.03% - 0.2%)	(0.19% - 2.33%)	(0.13% - 0.71%)
Low-income countries	0.85%	3.59%	1.07%
	(0.48% - 2.0%)	(2.01% - 6.08%)	(0.63% - 1.96%)

These differences reflects the variation in prevalence among population who are eligible to donate blood, the type of donors (such as voluntary unpaid blood donors from lower risk populations ) and the effectiveness of the system of educating and selecting donors. 

Blood processing

Blood collected in an anticoagulant can be stored and transfused to a patient in an unmodified state. This is known as ‘whole blood’ transfusion. However, blood can be used more effectively if it is processed into components, such as red cell concentrates, platelet concentrates, plasma and cryoprecipitate. In this way, it can meet the needs of more than one patient.
The capacity to provide patients with the different blood components they require is still limited in low-income countries: 45% of the blood collected in low-income countries is separated into components, 80% in middle-income countries and 95% in high-income countries.

Supply of plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMP)

World Health Assembly resolution (WHA63.12) urges Member States to establish, implement and support nationally-coordinated, efficiently-managed and sustainable blood and plasma programmes according to the availability of resources, with the aim of achieving self-sufficiency. It is the responsibility of individual governments to ensure sufficient and equitable supply of plasma-derived medicinal products namely immunoglobulins and coagulation factors, which are needed to prevent and treat a variety of serious conditions that occur worldwide.
43 countries (23 high-income, 18 middle-income, 2 low-income) of the 156 reporting countries, reported producing all or part of the PDMP through the fractionation (e.g. domestic or/and contract fractionation) of plasma collected in the country.

• 35 of the 43 countries report plasma fractionation carried out within the country.
• 8 of the 43 countries report plasma sent for contract fractionation in another country.

95 countries report that all PDMP are imported: 15 countries report that no PDMP were used during the reporting period; 3 countries report that plasma collected in the country was sold to the manufacturers of plasma-derived medicinal products and products purchased from PMDP suppliers in the market.
Around 10 million litres plasma from 35 reporting countries (22 high-income countries, 12 middle-income countries and 1 low-income countries, covering a population of 2.76 billion) was fractionated for the production of PDMP during the year. This includes around 50% plasma recovered from the whole blood donations. 

Clinical use of blood

Unnecessary transfusions and unsafe transfusion practices expose patients to the risk of serious adverse transfusion reactions and TTI. Unnecessary transfusions also reduce the availability of blood products for patients who are in need.
WHO recommends the development of systems to monitor and improve the safety of the transfusion process such as hospitals transfusion committees and haemovigilance.

• 111 countries have national guidelines on the appropriate clinical use of blood.
• Transfusion committees are present in 70% of the hospitals performing transfusions in high-income countries and in about half of the hospitals in middle- and low- income countries.
• Clinical audits are conducted in 89% of hospitals performing transfusion in the high-income countries and in 52% of hospitals in the middle- and low- income countries.
• Systems for reporting adverse transfusion events are present in 93% of hospitals performing transfusion in high-income countries and 63% in middle- and low- income countries.
• 77% high-income countries have a national haemovigilance system, compared to only 30% of middle- and low- income countries.

Blood transfusions

There are great variations between countries in the age distribution of transfused patients. For example, in the high-income countries, the most frequently transfused patient group is over 65 years, which accounts for up to 76% of all transfusions. In the low-income countries, up to 65% of transfusions are for children under the age of 5 years.
In high-income countries, transfusion is most commonly used for supportive care in cardiovascular surgery, transplant surgery, massive trauma, and therapy for solid and haematological malignancies. In low- and middle-income countries it is used more often to manage pregnancy-related complications and severe childhood anaemia.

WHO response

The risk of transmission of serious infections, including HIV and hepatitis, through unsafe blood and chronic blood shortages brought global attention to the importance of blood safety and availability. With the goal of ensuring universal access to safe blood and blood products, WHO has been at the forefront to improve blood safety and availability, and recommends the following integrated strategy for blood safety and availability:

• Establishment of a national blood system with well-organized and coordinated blood transfusion services, effective evidence-based and ethical national blood policies with the goal of achieving self-sufficiency, and legislation and regulation, that can provide sufficient and timely supplies of safe blood and blood products to meet the transfusion needs of all patients.
• Collection of blood, plasma and other blood components from low-risk, regular, voluntary unpaid donors through the strengthening of donation systems, the phasing out of family/replacement donation, the elimination of paid donation, and effective donor management, including care and counselling.
• Quality-assured screening of all donated blood for transfusion-transmissible infections (TTI), including HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis, confirmatory testing of the results of all donors screen-reactive for infection markers, blood grouping and compatibility testing, and systems for processing blood into blood products (blood components for transfusion and plasma derived-medicinal products), as appropriate, to meet health care needs.
• Rational use of blood and blood products to reduce unnecessary transfusions and minimize the risks associated with transfusion, the use of alternatives to transfusion, where possible, and safe and good clinical transfusion practices, including patient blood management.
• Step-wise implementation of effective quality systems, including quality management, standards, good manufacturing practices, documentation, training of all staff and quality assessment.

Through its Blood and Transfusion Safety programme, WHO supports countries in developing national blood systems to ensure timely access to safe and sufficient supplies of blood and blood products and good transfusion practices to meet the patients’ needs. The programme provides policy guidance and technical assistance to countries for ensuring universal access to safe blood and blood products and work towards self-sufficiency in safe blood and blood products based on voluntary unpaid blood donation to achieve universal health coverage.

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Data source: This fact sheet is based on the data obtained through the WHO Global Database on Blood Safety (GDBS) for the year 2012 which were reported by 100 countries. To give a more complete overview of the global situation, data for the year 2011 have been used from 68 countries and data for the year 2010 have been used from 11 countries, where current data are not available. Overall, responses received from 179 countries cover 98.6% of the world’s population.

" Thank you for saving my life " is the theme of the World Blood Door Day 2015

 RESOURCES :

• Campaign essentials - brochure
•  World Blood Donor Day campaign essentials
• World Blood Donor day - video
• Posters, hall banners
• File folders
• Caps, buttons, mugs, t-shirts, other visual materials
• Campaign goals and objectives
• Blood safety and availability - fact sheet
• Universal access of Safe Blood Transfusion 
•  Global consultation on universal access to safe blood transfusion