Thai
Red Cross Society, working together with Ministry of Public
Health, is organizing a major celebration to mark the occasion
of the World Blood Donor Day 2006 on June 14 at the National
Blood Centre in Bangkok, Thailand. Celebrations are also expected
to take place in more than 100 other countries as World Blood
Donor Day is now an annual event to pay tribute to the world’s
voluntary blood donors. Voluntary blood donation is considered
to be the cornerstone in a global strategy for ensuring safe
blood and blood products. However, in 2006 fewer than 50 countries
have achieved 100% voluntary blood donation with paid blood
donation or ‘family/replacement’ donation a main
source of supply in many countries.
Public education and donor recruitment/retention campaigns in
developing countries continue to remain seriously under-staffed
and under-resourced.
In developing countries, paid and family/replacement donors
still constitute a major proportion of blood donors, and only
25% of the donors are so-called ‘voluntary, non-remunerated
blood donors’ World Blood Donor Day is held on the birthday
of Dr. Karl Landsteiner, the Nobel Prize winner who discovered
the ABO blood group system and the purpose of the world-wide
celebrations is to pay tribute to the world’s voluntary
blood donors.
As a key partner in the World Blood Donor Day initiative since
it was launched in 2004, the International Federation sees the
purpose of this event having many far-reaching objectives, all
linked directly with the building of true partnerships with
civil society at the international, national and local levels;
vital partnerships for National Societies in view of their role
as the auxiliaries to the public authorities in the humanitarian
field.
In this case, however, we are recognising and encouraging what
must be the most trusting partnership of all. It is a partnership
that results with someone holding out his/her arm to give their
own blood, almost always to people they will never meet, but
for whom this gesture is life-saving. It is this area of trust
and public confidence that is crucial to a successful national
blood programme. “It is only through the provision of
a quality blood service that people can grow in confidence in
their blood services and through that confidence support it
with regular blood donations,” says Peter Carolan, Senior
Health Officer at the International Federation. “World
Blood Donor Day is also therefore a reminder about the importance
of resources needed to help address specific responsibilities
of blood programmes, as well as being an occasion to say ‘thank
you’ to all voluntary blood donors” he adds.
Resources are needed both to ensure the quality of the blood
for patients, and to ensure that the programme has the public
credibility needed if voluntary blood donors are to trust in
the blood programme.
Many National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have a great
deal of experience in blood issues, both relating to the needs
of patients and the expectations of donors. This experience
teaches us that these resources questions cannot be avoided,
anywhere.
“We know that many countries have struggling and under-funded
health services, but we also know from experience that it is
realistic to expect basic quality control in every blood service.
Increasingly this means the provision of a service where appropriate
care of the voluntary donor is afforded, since we know the attitude
and welcome of the staff can set the stage for a positive encounter
and increase the likelihood of a one-time donor becoming a regular
donor,” explains Peter Carolan.
Since the launching of the first World Blood Donor Day in Johannesburg
in 2004, with its focus on the involvement of young donors,
the International Federation has been working to establish a
global network of young donors who are members of Club 25 Programmes.
Club 25 programmes are proving to be a most economical model
in terms of public health care. In Johannesburg the approximate
age of Club 25 members was 18-25 years and they had committed
to two or three donations per year with an aim of giving 20
donations by the end of their 25th year.
Club 25 members know they must lead safe and healthy lifestyles
in order to meet the criteria for donor eligibility. The Blood
Service plays an important role in providing young donors with
HIV/AIDS education materials and thus the Club 25 members become
HIV/AIDS peer educators. Their role becomes even more significant
than saving lives by blood donation - they now also play a vital
role in health promotion as well.
World Blood Donor Day is an excellent opportunity for governments,
policymakers and blood programmes to congratulate all young
blood donors, so many of whom are not just regular donors but
now really leaders in public health education by playing a key
role as HIV/AIDS peer educators by promoting healthy life-styles.
At a time when there is so much talk about public health interventions
that successfully mobilize civil society and bring sustainable
public health improvements, we have in World Blood Donor Day
a perfect example, where key players can take a positive step
in a meaningful way to ensure existing solid partnerships in
civil society become acceptable models to assist health improvements
across the world.
The potential outcomes of these partnerships are worthy of very
close consideration on the occasion of World Blood Donor Day
2006.
There does appear to be growing evidence that there is a vital
relationship between a country’s voluntary blood donation
programme and the capacity of its government and civil society
to meet their broader responsibilities.
“This simply reflects the true value of voluntary blood
donors in human development,” says Peter Carolan. ”Through
an international network of Club 25 members, young blood donors
will have social interaction and collaboration at the global
level, resulting in their acquisition of significant leadership
skills which can later benefit their own country in wide-ranging
activities. In effect, we are seeing young blood donors commence
their role in human development by giving blood”, concludes
Peter Carolan.
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Blood
donors come from all walks of life. In Cambodia, a Buddhist
monk participates in the local Red Cross' blood donation
campaign. (p14110)
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