Call for blood donors

Thursday June 11th, 2015

The world needs to step up efforts to recruit voluntary blood donors to help tackle problems such as maternal deaths, according to health officials.

Sunday is to be World Blood Donor Day, to be hosted in China.

The World Health Organisation says shortage of safe blood supplies plays a key role in maternal deaths in poor countries.

And adequate supplies are critical in tackling the effects of disasters, such as the recent earthquake in Nepal, according to WHO.

In 2013, some 289,000 women died in childbirth worldwide - and 27% of these deaths were caused by severe bleeding, WHO says.

In 2012, nearly 108 million donations of blood were made globally - and half of these were made in high income countries such as the UK.

While countries such as the UK insist that blood must come from unpaid donors, some 72 countries, including eight wealthy ones, still collect more than half their blood supply from paid donors or another system of replacement donors. This involves families replacing blood used for a relative.

WHO general secretary Dr Margaret Chan said: "The best way to guarantee a safe and adequate supply of blood and blood products for transfusion is to have a good supply of regular donations by voluntary unpaid blood donors."

Tags: A&E | Childbirth and Pregnancy | General Health | World Health

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