ISLAMABAD: The World Blood Donor Day is going to be observed on Monday (today) to raise awareness about the importance of blood donations and to thank donors for giving the gift of life to people.

The day is celebrated globally every year on June 14. The celebrations are also a reminder to governments across the world that blood transfusion is the single most important life-saving intervention carried out every day in healthcare settings all over the world. It is therefore of utmost importance that safe blood for transfusion is available and accessible to all irrespective of caste, colour, creed, gender or geographical location.

Former national coordinator of Safe Blood Transfusion Programme Prof Hasan Abbas Zaheer said the World Blood Donor Day was being celebrated in a new and changed world.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has forever changed the way we live. Overnight the healthcare sector has assumed tremendous significance. And it is no longer possible for governments to neglect the gaps and deficiencies in their national healthcare systems including blood transfusion systems.

“As a result of the lockdown and fears of infection, blood donors suddenly vanished and blood banks all over the country faced severe shortage of blood in March last year. Later, due to increased highlighting of the issue in the electronic and social media, particularly by the thalassaemia community, the number of voluntary ‘walk-in’ donors in blood banks increased dramatically,” he said.

“Blood banks were suddenly inundated by concerned voluntary blood donors and surplus blood became available in the system. But soon thereafter, social media appeals fizzled out, complacency set in, Ramazan arrived followed by Eid and severe blood shortages were witnessed again which still persist,” Dr Zaheer said, adding that Islamabad Blood Centre had been completed and would soon be inaugurated in Chak Shahzad.

Media coordinator, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) Dr Waseem Khawaja suggested that in view of the prevailing national health crisis, the government must immediately take stock of the blood security situation in the country.

“World Blood Donor Day has thus assumed special significance this year. It is a stark reminder to the government to leave no stone unturned to further strengthen blood safety systems reforms in the country, being implemented nationwide since 2010 through the Safe Blood Transfusion Programme with the support of the German government and the technical assistance of WHO,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2021