KIGALI – World Health Organization (WHO) has called upon people from different countries across the world to donate blood in order to save millions of lives.
Every year on 14 June, WHO highlights this date as the International Blood Donor Day – Rwanda has hosted this year’s annual celebrations.
It is against this background that, WHO has called on all countries to celebrate and thank individuals who donate blood and to encourage those who have not previously donated blood to start donating.
“Everyone who can donate blood should consider making regular donations, so that all countries have adequate blood supplies to help those in need.” WHO stated.
Under the theme “Safe Blood for All”, this year’s campaign has focused on blood donations and universal access to blood and blood products.
According to Dr Al-Mandhari, the aim of this day is to raise awareness of the need for regular blood donations to ensure that all individuals and communities have access to affordable and timely supplies of safe and quality-assured blood and blood-related products.
WHO says everyone in the world has the right to access safe blood transfusion, when and where it is needed.
“Blood transfusion saves millions of lives every year. It can help in the proper management of women experiencing bleeding associated with pregnancy and childbirth, children with severe anaemia, patients with inherited disorders such as thalassemia, and victims of trauma, emergencies, disasters and accidents”. Says WHO
World Blood Donor Day also serves to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gift of blood and to raise awareness of the universal need for safe blood in the delivery of health care and the crucial roles.
To donate blood, one has to be between 18 to 65 years old, and he or she should weigh above 50 KGs and should be in perfect health.
