World Blood Donor Day 2022

World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) is celebrated around the world every year on June 14 to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood and to raise awareness of the need for regular blood donations to ensure the quality, safety and availability of blood and blood products for patients in need.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations (FIODS) and the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) sponsors World Blood Donor Day.

Millions of lives are saved every year by transfusion of blood and blood products in patients suffering from life-threatening conditions and during complex medical and surgical procedures. It also has an important, life-saving role in maternal and child care and during the emergency response to man-made and natural disasters. An adequate supply of blood and blood products can only be ensured through regular donations by voluntary, unpaid blood donors.

The World Blood Donor Day 2022 slogan is “Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the effort and save lives”. It aims to increase awareness in people that voluntary blood donations play a crucial role in saving lives and enhancing solidarity within communities.

The specific objectives of this year’s campaign are to:

• thank all blood donors and create the public awareness for regular, unpaid blood donation;
• highlight the importance of the year-round blood donation to maintain adequate supplies for universal and timely access to safe blood donation;
• appreciate and promote the values of voluntary unpaid blood donation in enhancing community solidarity and social cohesion;
• raise awareness for a sustainable and resilient national blood system and increase collection from voluntary non-remunerated blood donors

Facts on blood donation/ transfusion:

• Any healthy person in the age group 18-65years, weighing 45 kg or more, can donate blood.
• Donating blood is very simple. It takes about 15 minutes to donate blood.
• Around 118.5 million units of donated blood are collected globally every year.
• Voluntary unpaid blood donors are the safest group of donors.
• The shelf- life of donated blood is 35 to 42 days; hence there is a constant need to replenish stocks in the blood banks.
• A single unit of blood separating into its various components can benefit several patients.
• All donated blood should always be screened for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis prior to transfusion.

National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) is the policy formulating apex body for all matters about the operation of blood centres. The NBTC is the central body that coordinates with the State Blood Transfusion Councils (SBTCs) and also ensures the involvement of other Ministries and other health programmes for various activities related to Blood Transfusion Services (BTS).

eRaktKosh  is an initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India to connect, digitize and streamline the workflow of blood banks across the nation. Details about blood availability, nearby blood banks, camp schedule, and registration for blood donation can be seen at eraktkosh.in.

Related pages- 

World Blood Donor Day2019

World Blood Donor Day 2020

World Blood Donor Day 2021

References-

https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2022/06/14/default-calendar/world-blood-donor-day-2022

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/blood-safety-and-availability

http://nbtc.naco.gov.in/

http://naco.gov.in/national-blood-transfusion-council-nbtc-0