Every year on June fourteen, countries all over the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day. The celebration is in commemoration of the birthday anniversary of Karl Landsteiner on fourteenth June, 1868.
The day is also an opportunity to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their lifesaving gift of blood.
World Blood Donor Day celebration brings opportunity to all donors to celebrate at the national and global levels as well as celebrate the birthday of Karl Landsteiner, a great scientist who won the Nobel Prize for his great discovery of ABO Blood Group System and the discovery of the Rhesus Factor in blood grouping.
The Theme for 2025 World Blood Donor Day is “Give blood, give hope – Together we save lives” This theme underscores blood donation as not only a simple act of kindness, but also noble expression of human solidarity that brings hope and healing to those in urgent need.”.
Blood and blood products are essential resources for effective management of different medical and surgical procedures. The need for blood is universal, but access to blood for all those who need it is not. Blood shortages are particularly acute in low- and middle-income countries.
An effective blood donor programme, characterized by wide and active participation of the population, is crucial in meeting the need of blood transfusion during peace time as well as during emergencies or disasters. Enabling social and cultural atmosphere with strong solidarity facilitates development of an effective blood donor programme and the act of blood donation contributes to generating social ties and building a united community.
The World Blood Donor Day draws attention to the roles that voluntary blood donation play in saving lives and enhancing solidarity within communities.
The day highlights the need for committed, year-round blood donation, to maintain adequate supplies and achieve universal and timely access to safe blood transfusion; raise awareness on the need for increased investment from governments to build a sustainable and resilient national blood system and increase collection from voluntary non-remunerated blood donors.
Most low- and middle-income countries struggle to make safe blood available because donations are low and equipment to test blood is scarce. Globally, forty-two per cent of blood is collected in high-income countries, which are home to only sixteen per cent of the world’s population.
An adequate supply of safe blood can only be assured through regular donations by voluntary unpaid blood donors. This is why the World Health Assembly in 2005 designated a special day to thank blood donors and encourage more people to give blood freely.
International organizations, including the World Health Organization, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations and the International Society of Blood Transfusion, among others, continue to work in close collaboration to provide guidance and support to encourage blood donation.
PROFESSOR PETER KATCHY
