New Delhi, 13 June (IANS). World Blood Donation Day is celebrated every year on 14 June, it has been declared by the World Health Organization (WHO). This day is dedicated to honor of all the blood donors who donate blood to save the lives of others without any selfishness.
According to the WHO website, for the first time in 2004, an initiative was taken to celebrate World Blood Donation Day. The International Federation of Blood Donor Organization and International Society of Blood Transfusion along with the WHO celebrated the blood donor day on 14 June.
June 14 is the birthday of Dr. Carl Landsteiner and says that the day is dedicated to Dr. Carl, as he discovered the blood group system (A, B, AB, O), which is an important contribution in the field of blood donation and blood offering to another. In 1930, Carl Landsteiner was awarded the Nobel Prize for his contribution.
According to WHO, this year its theme is ‘Give blood, expect, save life together’. The theme of this year emphasizes how one of your steps can affect someone’s life. Every donation brings hope for those patients who are struggling with deadly diseases, undergoing surgery or fighting diseases.
The WHO says that about 118.54 million (about 11 million 85 lakh) blood donation is made globally. About 13,300 blood centers report 106 million (10 million 60 lakh) of blood donation in a total of 169 countries. It is important to note that 40 percent of blood donation is collected in high -income countries, where only 16% of the world’s population lives, which highlights inequalities in blood access.
According to a PIB report, the Indian Army launched a huge blood donation campaign in the southern states on 24 December 2022, which was aimed at promoting the importance of blood donation to commemorate the 75th Army Day. The campaign was organized in 10 states including Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
-IANS
NS/ABM
