On World Blood Donor Day “Safe Blood Saves Lives”

 On 14th June the World Health Organization ( WHO) and all countries celebrate World Blood Donor Day, through which people all over the world are called on to become life-savers by volunteering to donate blood regularly .The need for safe blood is universal. Safe blood is critical both for treatment and urgent interventions

The event serves to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gift of blood and also to raise awareness of the need for regular blood donations to ensure that all individuals and communities have access to affordable and timely supplies of safe and quality-assured blood and blood products as an integral part of universal health coverage and a key component of effective health care.

This day highlights the need to donate blood regularly to avoid the phenomenon of deficiency in hospitals and clinics, especially in developing countries where the quantities of blood have become very limited and the appropriate supplies of safe blood can only be provided through regular donations by voluntary donors.

On the side line of an event held on Sunday marking this world occasion , Dr. Alia Al-Assad, Head of Damascus University’s Center for Blood Transfusion in Damascus said in a statement to SANA this day is an opportunity to spread awareness about the importance of donating blood and motivating people to donate voluntarily to save the lives of patients such as Thalassemia patients, who need to transfuse blood once every 15 days or more.

She stressed that the need for blood transfusion is not an immediate need, but only a permanent necessity.

Dr. Al-Assad underlined that despite the difficulties imposed by the terrorist war on Syria , the blood transfusion centers exerted relentless efforts to continue providing the blood to which people ask more due to war injuries.

She indicated that the blood is provided by the donors directly through organizing blood donation campaigns in coordination with the civil society associations and governmental and private establishments to meet any need.

According to Dr. Al-Assad, there are international criteria for accepting the donor mainly age and health condition, highlighting the healthy effect of blood donations on the donor’s body.

She pointed out that in the light of the precautionary measures adopted to address the Corona virus, all health measures are taken to organize blood donation, avoid crowds, In addition to continuous sterilization and wearing the mask by the donors and healthy cadres.

Dr. Al-Assad said that the number of donors in the center reaches 180 donors per day. The names of the people who donate most are listed through the data of the donors at the center, where they are honored .

She made it clear that the number of blood transfusion centers in the Syrian governorates is 25 centers, some of which were sabotaged by terrorists.

 Damascus University’s Center for Blood Transfusion in Damascus honored on Sunday the donor Muhammad Bilal Ward as one of the best blood donors at the center.

A number of donors, who took part in the event at the center, considered donation of blood as a duty to save the lives of patients, in addition to expressing unabated feelings of support, especially for the army and deep appreciation of their sacrifices.

It is noteworthy that the campaign theme for this year’s World Blood Donor Day 2020 is “Safe blood saves lives” with the slogan “Give blood and make the world a healthier place”.

 The campaign focuses on the contribution of donors to improving the health of others in the local community.

 The World Health Organization appeals to people all over the world on this day to contribute saving lives by donating blood regularly.

Rawaa Ghanam