About World Blood Donor Day
Countries all over the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day every year on June 14th.
It was first observed in 2004. The idea behind the event is to raise awareness for the need of blood, blood products, and the need for safe blood. Moreover, it is an act of thanking the blood donors who, voluntary comes out and donate blood to those in need.
It is also one of eight official global public health campaigns initiated by the World Health Organization, along with World Health Day, World Tuberculosis Day, World Immunization Week, World No Tobacco Day, World Malaria Day, World Aids Day and World Hepatitis Day.
Why June 14th?
The date of the holiday was chosen because Nobel Prize winner Karl Landsteiner was born on this day. Without his knowledge, a blood transfusion would not be possible nowadays. He is a scientist who discovered human blood types and thus introduced blood transfusions as a common medical practice.
The Importance of Blood Donations
Blood is an important resource, both for planned treatments and urgent interventions. It can help patients suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer and with a higher quality of life, and supports complex medical and surgical procedures. Blood is also vital for treating the wounded during emergencies of all kinds (natural disasters, accidents, armed conflicts, etc.) and has an essential, life-saving role in maternal and perinatal care.
A blood service that gives patients access to safe blood and blood products in sufficient quantity is a key component of an effective health system. Ensuring safe and sufficient blood supplies requires the development of a nationally coordinated blood transfusion service based on voluntary non-remunerated blood donations. However, in many countries, blood services face the challenge of making sufficient blood available, while also ensuring its quality and safety.
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