Leon Barretto

World Blood Donation Day is observed on the 14th of June every year. The first World Blood Donor Day was celebrated in the year 2004, World Blood Donation Day helps to spread awareness about the importance of blood donation and its significance for saving lives. The recognition of World Blood Donation Day by WHO has helped in spreading awareness and in dispelling many long-held myths regarding blood donation. World Blood Donation Day, helps to thank blood donors across the world, encourage more people to donate blood and raise awareness about the need for safe blood and blood products.

Campaign objectives:                                                                                                                                                      

• To empower the national blood donation programs and reduce the need for blood donation from family members.
• To ensure that there is adequate supply of blood throughout the year for patients of different blood groups.
• To raise a voice for maintaining a healthy lifestyle by quitting self-destructive habits like smoking and excessive drinking, so that the individuals can maintain a healthy blood which can be used to save lives.
• To establish a global platform to thank people who have donated blood and motivate people who have not yet donated to donate.

India relies heavily on transfusions due to a higher prevalence of blood-borne diseases and complications during pregnancy. About 60 million trauma induced surgeries are performed in the country every year. It is a witness to more than 1,200 road crashes every day. The 230 million major operations, 331 million cancer-related procedures like chemotherapy and 10 million pregnancy complications require blood transfusion.

Every year, India wastes about 6.5 lakh units of blood and blood components. Blood is considered to be wasted when it cannot be transfused to a patient. The primary factors that lead to blood being wasted are deterioration during storage and expiry, but can also be due to issues such as broken bags and/or seals, contamination under donations, clotted donations, delays in conducting tests due to staff shortage and improper transport.

MYTHS ABOUT BLOOD DONATION

People eligible for blood donation:

• Age : 18 and 65.
• Weight-You weigh at least 50 kg.
• Health - You must be in good health at the time you donate.

You cannot donate

• if you have a cold, flu, sore throat, cold sore, stomach bug or any other infection.
• If you have recently had a tattoo or body piercing you cannot donate for 6 months from the date of the procedure. If the body piercing was performed by a registered health professional and any inflammation has settled completely, you can donate blood after 12 hours.
• If you have visited the dentist for a minor procedure you must wait 24 hours before donating; for major work wait a month.
• You must not donate blood If you do not meet the minimum hemoglobin level for blood donation
• While breast-feeding.