World Blood Donor Day 2019
World Blood Donor Day 2019 was observed by the people all around the world on 14th of June, Friday.
The theme for World Blood Donor Day 2019 was “Safe blood for all”. The theme was a call for action to all the governments, healthcare institutions and blood banks across the globe to meet the adequate demand of blood for all the patients who require blood transfusion.
This year the host country for the World Blood Donor Day was Rwanda. The global event for the occasion took place in Kigali, Rwanda on 14th June.
The day was celebrated by raising the awareness of blood donation and giving a thank you note to all the people who have donated blood and saved precious lives. It also encouraged people to donate blood so that they can contribute their bit in saving a life.
Kasturba Hospital in Manipal launched a Donor Health Clinic and also felicitated blood donors ahead of the occasion on 08th June. A blood donation awareness programme was also organised on the occasion to motivate people and create awareness on the importance of blood donation.
WHO Philippines organised a blood donation camp at Philippines Blood Center on 13th June to observe the World Blood Donor Day ahead of the occasion. WHO also urged people across the globe to voluntarily donate blood and save precious lives.
Amar Ujala Foundation organized blood donation camp in more than 100 cities on the occasion. The blood donated by the people was given to the blood banks of the government hospitals. The event was supported by medical colleges, district hospitals and NGOs.
World Blood Donor Day History
World Blood Donor Day is celebrated every year by the people in many countries around the world on 14th of June. World Blood Donor Day is celebrated every year on the day of birthday anniversary of Karl Landsteiner on 14th of June in 1868. This event celebration was first started in the year 2004 aiming to raise the public awareness about the need for safe blood donation (including its products) voluntarily and unpaid by the healthy person. Blood donors are the key role player at this day as they donate life-saving gifts of blood to the needed person.
It was first initiated and established to be celebrated annually on 14th of June by “the World Health Organization, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies” in the year 2004. World Blood Donor Day was officially established by the WHO with its 192 Member States in the month of May in 2005 at the 58th World Health Assembly in order to motivate all the countries worldwide to thank the blood donors for their precious step, promote voluntary, safe and unpaid blood donations to ensure the sufficient blood supplies.
World Blood Donor Day celebration brings a precious opportunity to all donors for celebrating it on national and global level as well as to commemorate the birthday anniversary of the Karl Landsteiner (a great scientist who won the Nobel Prize for his great discovery of the ABO blood group system).
Why World Blood Donor Day is Celebrated
World Blood Donor Day is celebrated to fulfill the need of blood transfusion and blood products transfusion to the needed person anywhere in the world. This campaign saves more than millions of lives annually and gives a natural smile on the face of blood receiver. Blood transfusion helps patients suffering from variety of life-threatening health conditions and stimulates them to live longer and quality life. It solves the lots of complex medical and surgical procedures all around the world. This campaign plays a great life-saving role for caring the women during pre and post pregnancy.
The celebration of World Blood Donor Day 2013 was hosted by the France “through its national blood service, the Establishment Français du Sang (EFS)”. France is involved in the promotion act of voluntary and unpaid blood donation since 1950s. The slogan of the year 2013 celebration was “Give the gift of life: donate blood” when it has celebrated its 10th anniversary focusing the value of blood donation to the patient.
Donated blood are used to save lives of severely anemic women, anemic kids, accident victims having excess blood loss, surgical patients, cancerous patients, thalassemia patients, people suffering from the hemophilia, sickle cell anemia, blood disorders, blood clotting disorders and many more.
Places devoid of an adequate blood supply face many life-threatening challenges during the arrangement of sufficient blood for the proper donation. Adequate supply of blood and its products can only be fulfilled by the regular and safe donations by the self motivated, voluntary and unpaid blood donors. Some of the objectives of the World Blood Donor Day celebration are mentioned below:
> World Health Organization is aimed to obtain the sufficient blood supplies from the voluntary and unpaid blood donors all over the world by 2020.
> According to the statistics, it has been noted that only 62 countries are getting sufficient blood supplies from the voluntary and unpaid blood donors whereas 40 countries are still dependent for the blood donations on the patient’s family member or paid donors. It is celebrated to motivate voluntary blood donors in rest of the countries worldwide.
> To make the blood donation act a precious gift to the receivers and get new life.
> WHO run this campaign by organizing many activities in all countries highlighting people’s stories who need immediate blood donation to continue their heart beat.
> It is celebrated to say lots of thank to the voluntary and unpaid blood donors all around the world for saving millions of lives.
> It is celebrated to fulfill the 100% voluntary and unpaid blood donation need worldwide.
> It is celebrated to motivate blood donors for safe blood donation for saving the life of mothers and babies (country’s future).
> It is celebrated to reduce the death rates (mortality rate) because of insufficient blood supply. Approximately 800 women are dying off due to malnourish pregnancy, childbirth-related complications, severe bleeding during or after delivery and etc.
> To motivate voluntary blood donors through educational programmes and campaigns in order to strengthen the blood transfusion services.
How World Blood Donor Day is Celebrated
World Blood Donor Day is celebrated annually to aware people for the need of safe blood transfusion as well as importance of blood donation throughout the world. The celebration involves organizing lots of activities and programs on international and national level.
Health care organizations like “the World Health Organization, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations (IFBDO) and the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT)” work jointly to organize international level programs to promote people globally.
Campaign celebration preparations are carried out by the Council of Europe for many years. The demand of safe blood transfusion is increasing day by day in spite of the blood donation by almost 92 million people every year worldwide.
Activities involves organizing commemorative events, meetings, discussion, debates, quiz competitions, publishing relevant stories in newspapers, scientific conferences, publishing articles worldwide, international scientific journals, sports activities and other promotional activities in the public places, schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutions.
World Blood Donor Day Theme
> The theme for World Blood Donor Day 2019 is “Safe blood for all”.
> The theme of 2018 is “Blood Connects us All”.
> The theme of 2017 was “Give blood. Give now. Give often”.
> The theme of 2016 was “Blood Connects us All”.
> The theme of 2015 was “Thank you for saving my life”.
> The theme of 2014 was “Safe blood for saving mothers”.
> The theme of 2013 was “Give the gift of life: Donate blood.”
> The theme of 2012 was “Every blood donor is a hero”.
> The theme of 2011 was “More blood, more life”.
> The theme of 2010 was “New Blood for the World”.
> The theme of 2009 was “achieving 100 per cent non-remunerated donation of blood and blood components”.
> The theme of 2008 was “Giving blood regularly”.
> The theme of 2007 was “Safe Blood for Safe Motherhood”.
> The theme of 2006 was “Commitment to Ensure Universal Access to Safe Blood”.
> The theme of 2005 was “Celebrating your gift of blood”.
> The theme of 2004 was “Blood Saves Lives. Safe Blood Starts With Me”.
World Blood Donor Day Quotes
“I’ve been involved with blood donation since the 1980s because there is a critical need”. – Donna Reed
“I owe my life to blood donors. I’m forever grateful to people who donate”. – Niki Taylor
“My goal is to spread the word about the need for more blood donors”. – Niki Taylor
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