The World Health Organization (WHO) announces the theme of World Blood Donor Day 2021 – “Give Blood and Keep the World Beating.”
World Blood Donor Day is celebrated on June 14 every year, raising global awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products for transfusion.
The day also provides an opportunity to call to action to governments and national health authorities to provide adequate resources and put into place systems and infrastructures to increase the collection of blood from voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors,” according to the WHO.
Blood transfusion is one of the critical aspects of the health care system so we need safe blood and blood products. It saves millions of lives and improves the health and quality of life of many patients.
Blood has become a universal need, but many countries lack access to blood, especially developing countries.
All countries need voluntary, unpaid blood donors to make sure people who are in need have access to it.
Blood donors in most countries have continued to donate blood and plasma despite limited mobility and other challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To commemorate this year’s World Blood Donor Day, the WHO has released a slogan called “Give Blood and Keep the World Beating.”
This year’s theme highlights the essential contribution blood donors make to save lives and improve others’ health. It also encourages more and more people to donate blood regularly and contribute to better health care.
Through this year’s campaign, the WHO aims to motivate young people to ensure a safe blood supply, as they form a large sector of the population in most societies and are generally full of enthusiasm and creativity.
According to the WHO, the specific objectives of this year’s World Blood Donor Day campaign are to:
- thank blood donors in the world and create wider public awareness of the need for regular, unpaid blood donation
- promote the community values of blood donation in enhancing community solidarity and social cohesion
- encourage youth to embrace the humanitarian call to donate blood and inspire others to do the same
- celebrate the potential of youth as partners in promoting health
Italy is set to host World Blood Donor Day 2021 through its National Blood Centre, said the global health agency. The event will be held in Rome today. The WHO says on its website, “Your involvement and support will help to ensure greater impact for World Blood Donor Day 2021, increasing recognition worldwide that giving blood is a life-saving act of solidarity and that services providing safe blood and blood products are an essential element of every health care system.”
