On June 14, countries around the world will celebrate World Blood Donor Day.
World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) is aimed at raising awareness of the need for safe, good quality blood and blood products.
The day also honours the many voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts.
World Blood Donor Day has a further purpose: to create widespread awareness throughout the world of the need for many more people to make a commitment to regular, voluntary, unpaid blood donation.
Established in 2004, World Blood Donor Day falls on the birthday of Karl Landsteiner, who discovered the ABO blood group system, which is used today to ensure safety of blood transfusions.
The day is an annual event that is jointly sponsored by the World Health Organisation (Who).
It is one of eight official international public health campaigns marked by the Who.
This year’s campaign is themed “Safe Blood for Saving Mothers” and is aimed at developing a strategy to highlight the need for timely access to safe blood in the prevention of maternal deaths.
The death of women from complications during childbirth continues to be a serious global health challenge.
Approximately 800 women die from pregnancy or childbirth-related complications daily.
Just about all of these deaths occur in developing countries.
Severe bleeding during delivery and after childbirth is a major cause of death, illness and long-term disability.
The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) has dedicated the entire month of June to increasing awareness of this cause.
Blood transfusion has been identified as one of the nine key life-saving interventions for the management of pregnancy-related complications.
“Childbirth and other gynaecological complications are among the highest demand for blood daily in South Africa,” said Vanessa Raju, SANBS communications manager
SANBS again encourages people to donate blood regularly and thanks the blood donors who sacrifice their time in an effort to save the lives of people in need of blood.
Get involved.
Give blood and participate in local events being organised to celebrate Blood Donor Month.
For more information visit www.SANBS.org.za, or call SANBS on 0800 11 90 31.
