World Blood Donor Day 2021

Safe blood supplies are a scarce commodity – especially in developing countries. World Blood Donor Day is an occasion to raise awareness of the problem and thank donors worldwide. It is held annually on June 14.

For 2021, the World Blood Donor Day slogan is “Give blood and keep the world beating”. The message focuses on the indispensable contribution blood donors make to keeping the world pulsating by saving lives and improving others’ health.

Safe blood and blood products and their transfusion are critical aspects of care and public health. They save millions of lives and improve the health and quality of life of many patients every day. The need for blood is universal, but access to blood for all those who need it is not. Blood shortages are particularly acute in developing countries. To ensure that everyone who needs safe blood has access to it, all countries need voluntary, unpaid donors who give blood regularly.

World Blood Donor Day, however, doesn’t just focus on getting more volunteers to come forward. It also works to improve methods of collection and delivery. Collecting blood from a donor and transferring it to a patient is a complex process. Physicians must pay attention to hygiene and blood type – things that are difficult in places where health systems are still developing. The Day, therefore, is just as much about spreading state-of-the-art protocols as it is encouraging people to donate.

World Blood Donor Day is, consequently, one of the most important public health events on the calendar. It upholds the hard work of those early blood transfusion pioneers and encourages people to get out and give!