World Blood Donor Day 2009

Millions of people around the world owe their lives to individuals they will never meet- people who donate their blood to help others. But millions more still can’t get safe blood when they need. World Blood Donor Day, celebrated on June 14 every year, provides a unique opportunity to thank those very special people who worked toward this cause.

Established by the world health assembly, this day marks the birthday of Karl Landsteiner, the noble laureate who discovered the ABO blood group system. There is broad international support to raise awareness of the need for safe blood around the world and encourage eligible individuals to donate blood regularly so that blood is readily available for all who need it when required.

Safe blood donors are the cornerstone of a safe and adequate supply of blood and blood products. The safest blood donors are voluntary, no remunerated blood donors from low risk population. Despite this, family/replacement and paid donors, which are associated with a significantly higher prevalence of Transfusion Transmissible Infections (TTIs) including HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and syphilis, still provide more than 50% of blood collected in our country. If we achieve 100% voluntary blood donation, then blood transfusion will become safer and much better.

The theme for this year is ‘Achieving 100 percent non-remunerated donation of blood and blood components’.

This theme laces a renewed emphasis on improving the safety and sufficiency of blood supply. As more and more countries achieve the goal of 100 per cent voluntary non-remunerated blood donation, there is growing appreciation of the vital role of voluntary donors who donate blood on a regular basis. Not only are they the safest blood donors, they are also the foundation of sustainable national blood supplies that are sufficient to meet the needs of all patients requiring blood and blood components.

The focus of this theme is the use of innovative approaches to community participation to increase voluntary blood donation, maintenance of a stable pool of regular voluntary donors and establishing or expanding blood component programmes based on hundred percent voluntary non-remunerated donation to achieve self-sufficiency.

NACO has given the following definitions for voluntary non-remunerated donor:

Voluntary non remunerated blood donor is a person who gives blood, plasma or other blood components of his/her own free will and receives no payment for it, either in the form of cash or in kind which could as be considered a suitable for money. This includes times off work, other than reasonably needed for the donation and travel. However small tokens, refreshments and reimbursement of the direct travel cost are compatible with voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation.

A step further in voluntary non-remunerated blood donation is converting a voluntary non-remunerated blood donor to a regular voluntary non-remunerated blood donor.

Blood Regular Voluntary Non Remunerated Donor is a voluntary non remunerated blood donor who has donated at least three times, the last donation being within the previous year, and continues to donate regularly at least once per year.

In a country like India with a population of over 1000 million every now and then a patients dies for want of blood. If only 3% of our people started donating blood regularly, there would be no blood shortage ever.

reference: http://doctor.ndtv.com/storypage/ndtv/id/3808/type/feature/World_Blood_Donor_Day_2009.html