World Blood Donor Day: 13 June 2018
Every Year on 14 June, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day. It is an opportunity to pay tribute to the effort of voluntary donation for the collection of blood in order to treat patients.
There is growing demand for blood on account of the rise of road accidents and necessity for blood for successfully carrying surgical interventions for instance cancer and cardiac operations to soothe suffering of patients.
The theme adopted for this year is" Be there for someone else, Give Blood. Share Life". It is necessary to undertake a surgical intervention for the survival of a patient. The operation cannot be carried out unless it is possible to get supply of blood. The relatives or parent of this patient are subject to anxiety until it has been possible to obtain blood for embarking with the operation. It is therefore important to show generosity, kindness to them to give blood. Later a member of your family may be in need of blood. But if you have willingly donated blood, facility will be given for supply of blood to save the life of a member of your family. There has to be a change of attitude. It is important to carry out sensitization to encourage anybody to give blood. When you give blood you show solidarity, you make a valuable contribution to save life.
To commemorate World Blood Donor Day a workshop has been organised on 13 June, 2018 at the Gold Crest Hotel, Quatre-Bornes. Dr the Hon. Anwar Husnoo, Minister of Health and Quality of Life in the presence of Dr L. Musango WHO representative and well known representatives of Non-Governmental organisations inaugurated the workshop today. It was brought out that accordingly to World Health Organisation (WHO), 800 women die every day from pregnancy and child related complication. Bleeding during pregnancy may the cause of 34% of maternal death in Africa and 31 % in Asia.
It will be recalled that during celebration of World Blood Donor Day in 2013 which marked the 10th Anniversary of World Blood Donor Day, blood was reckoned as gift to save life. WHO endorses voluntary donation of blood. For the marking of World Blood Donor Day the initiative has been taken to give the chance to donors in the field of blood donation to share their experience.
In this context Mr Ayacouty of Fire and Rescue Service came forward to recount his achievement to sustain the voluntary Blood donation. Fire and Rescue Service plays a remarkable part in saving lives. Person who are injured in the course of road accident or as a result of natural calamity are rescued by the Fire and Rescue Service .When they are subject to bleeding or injury emergency First Aid is provided by Fire and Rescue Service. Fire and Rescue service has been instrumental to develop a database for different types of blood and has extended support to blood collection campaign to attain its objective for collection of 1000 pints of blood and in pursuing its unfailing effort for blood collection.
The dedication of Mr Devanad Hossen to the cause of blood donation is exemplary. He began donating blood as from 1988. He has distinguished himself by giving blood 103 times. He considers himself to be in sound health to continue donating blood. He has innovative plan to constitute Blood Donors Association at Bambous to mobilise volunteers to give blood. He is currently the Treasurer of Blood Donor's Association active on a regular basis for blood collection campaign.
It was announced by the WHO representative that the service of a WHO consultant would be made available to formulate appropriate blood policy of our country. It is considered that consistent quality and safety in the provision of blood and blood product can be achieved with a coordinated service with the assistance of the WHO consultant. It is envisaged consultation will be held with stake holders for the elaboration of comprehensive blood system policy.
Every effort is being made at the level of blood Transfusion Service to prevent blood infection. Blood Transfusion is a vital component of our country's health service. It must be ensured that HIV infection may not be transmitted through use of infected blood. Appropriate measures have been taken to have recourse to latest Nuclear Acid Technology software for screening of blood sample to safeguard against infection.
Safe blood supply is essential for treatment. It is an important responsibility to ensure that blood supply is safe and adequate to meet the need of the population. For this reason there is an ongoing effort to promote blood donation and blood collection. With the dissemination of pamphlets and intensification of awareness campaign a concerted effort in being made to increase the pool of blood donors with the collaboration of blood donor's association. There is a well-coordinated momentum to educate the youth and devise incentive for new blood donor to come forward to voluntarily donate blood to be able to save lives of patient awaiting treatment. It is considered that World Blood Donor Day will contribute to change the mindset to promote community values of blood donation in enhancing and strengthening solidarity, social cohesion to promote safe and sustainable blood donation for the survival of patient in need of treatment.
We seize this opportunity to depict initiative to commemorate World Blood Donor Day on 13 June, 2018 as shown below:
Ministry of Health and Quality of Life