KATHMANDU: Today marks World Blood Donor Day, which is being observed in various countries around the world under the slogan, “A drop of blood for humanity, let’s donate blood, let’s save lives.”
The day is observed every year on June 14 to raise awareness about the need for safe blood and blood products, and to honor voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving contributions.
According to the latest data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), despite significant progress in improving the global supply of safe blood, major inequalities in access still remain.
Based on data collected from 132 countries, global blood collection increased by about 19 percent between 2013 and 2023. Of an estimated 120 million blood donations recorded in 2023, more than 85 percent came from voluntary, unpaid donors.
However, access to safe blood and blood products is not equal across regions. In low-income countries in particular, shortages continue to affect women suffering from severe childbirth-related bleeding, children with severe anemia, accident and burn victims, surgical patients, and those with conditions such as thalassemia, hemophilia, immunodeficiency disorders, and certain cancers.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has emphasized that no one should die due to a lack of safe blood.
In his message for World Blood Donor Day, he noted that while rising participation from voluntary, unpaid donors is encouraging, a person’s place of residence still largely determines access to life-saving transfusion services. He urged governments to increase investment in sustainable national blood systems and to promote voluntary blood donation.
WHO further reports that high-income countries, which are home to only 15 percent of the global population, account for 36 percent of all blood donations. In contrast, many low-income countries continue to face challenges such as limited financial resources, weak infrastructure, transportation difficulties, and insufficient donor pools.
Blood donation rates also vary widely between countries, ranging from as low as zero to four donations per 1,000 people, up to 53 per 1,000 in some nations. Twenty-four countries report fewer than five donations per 1,000 population, according to WHO data.
Gaps in governance and regulation further compound the problem. Around one-third of countries lack clear legal frameworks to ensure the safety and quality of blood services. Only 64 percent have regular monitoring systems, 62 percent have licensing mechanisms, and just 40 percent have accredited transfusion services.
WHO also notes that more than one in seven countries lack a dedicated government budget or cost management system for blood services, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of blood supply systems.
Every blood donation saves lives, strengthens communities, and supports more resilient health systems.
WHO has called on countries to strengthen governance and regulation of blood services, ensure sustainable financing, expand quality assurance programs, promote safe transfusion practices, and improve surveillance and data systems to support evidence-based decision-making.
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