11th anniversary of World Blood Donor Day

Every day, about 800 women death cases are registered and each of them is a result of problems connected with pregnancy or childbirth-related complications. The process of child delivery is strictly connected with severe bleeding both during delivery and after childbirth. Bleeding complications are often the cause of higher morbidity, long-term disability and even mortality. The risk and frequency of maternal deaths varies among countries and even continents, however, almost all of them are observed in developing countries. More than a half of such cases are observed in Africa on areas localized nearby Saharan while southern Asia countries note one third of these deaths. Another important factor is the age of a mother – adolescent girls under age of 15 represent a group that high risk of mortality affects most frequently.

Hence WHO has developed a project – World Blood Donor Day. WBDD campaign focuses on raising the awareness on the safety of blood and blood products with simultaneous emphasizing of blood donation importance. Additionally, the objective is to promote blood transfusion in order to recognize it as a 'gift of life'. Although blood transfusion is still a challenge in many countries, according to WHO reports over 108 million blood donations are given every year. Moreover, WHO plans that until year 2020, the amount of blood supplies from voluntary unpaid donors will cover 100% need for all counties in Earth.

Since year 2004, on the basis of achievements and quality of the Transfusion Service the World Health Organization (WHO) selects a host country for World Blood Donor Day (WBDD). Up till now WBDD has been held in Australia (2009), Argentina (2011), Canada (2007), Dubai (2008), France (2013), South Africa (2004), South Korea (2012), Spain (2010), Thailand (2006) and United Kingdom (2005). This year, 2014, for the first time a representative country of South Asia has been selected. The eleventh edition of World Blood Donor Day global campaign will take place at 14th June in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The World Health Organization WHO is an agency of United Nations that concerns international human health and medicine. The organization was established in year 1948 and its headquarter is in Geneva, Switzerland. Its main responsibility is medical assistance.

Literature:

http://www.nbts.health.gov.lk/eng/

http://www.paho.org/hq/

http://www.isbtweb.org/news/article/world-blood-donor-day-wbdd-2014/

http://www.who.int/campaigns/world-blood-donor-day/2014/en/

http://www.wbdd2014.com/index.html

by Agnieszka Tyfa