Emergencies in focus as Blood Donor Day tomorrow

Islamabad

Like other parts of the world, the Blood Donor Day will be marked in Pakistan tomorrow (Wednesday) to advocate higher voluntary blood donation in emergencies.

As announced by the World Health Organisation, in crisis or emergency situation, the natural human response is “What can I do? How can I help?” and therefore, the slogan for the 2017 campaign is 'What can you do?' with the secondary message, 'Give blood. Give now. Give often'.

This year's campaign underlines the role every single person can play in helping others in emergency situations, by giving the valuable gift of blood. It also focuses on the fact that it is important to give blood regularly, so that the blood stock is sufficient before an emergency arises.

Among the objectives of the campaign are to encourage all people to strengthen the emergency preparedness of health services in their community by donating blood; to engage authorities in the establishment of effective national blood donor programmes with the capacity to respond promptly to the increase in blood demand during emergencies, and to promote the inclusion of blood transfusion services in national emergency preparedness and response activities.

It will also build wider public awareness of the need for committed, year-round blood donation, in order to maintain adequate supplies and achieve a national self-sufficiency of blood; celebrate and thank individuals who donate blood regularly and to encourage young people to become new donors as well, and promote international collaboration and to ensure worldwide dissemination of and consensus on the principles of voluntary non-remunerated donation, while increasing blood safety and availability.

According to Polyclinic hospital haematologist Dr Sharif Astori, the lives and health of millions of people are affected by emergencies both man-made and natural every year and therefore, blood transfusion is an essential component of emergency health care. He said emergencies increased the demand for blood transfusion and made its delivery challenging and complex.

Dr Sharif said the adequate supply of blood during emergencies required a well-organised blood service, and that could only be ensured by engaging the entire community and a blood donor population committed to voluntary unpaid blood donation all through the year.