World Blood Donor Day is dedicated to voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors. It is celebrated annually on 14 June and has the support of all major stakeholders in blood transfusion medicine and blood transfusion services, including the World Health Organization, International Society of Blood Transfusion, International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

The purpose of World Blood Donor Day is not to attract new voluntary blood donors, rather to pay tribute to all those blood donors around the world and especially to those who give blood on a regular basis (two, three or more times each year).

Dr Neelam Dhingra, from WHO’s Blood Safety and Clinical Technology Department, explains:

“Following the success of World Health Day 2000, which was dedicated to blood safety, a number of organizations closely associated with blood programmes throughout the world collectively identified the need to designate one day which could be dedicated to blood donors. The June date was selected as it is the anniversary of the birth of Karl Landsteiner, the Nobel Prize winner who discovered the ABO blood group system. By giving advanced information about this event, we hope all countries will be able to set aside some resources that can be used to develop long-term advocacy programmes to further promote voluntary blood donation. It is well recognized that transfusion-transmitted infections can be eliminated or substantially reduced through an integrated strategy for blood safety which has as its foundation the collection of blood from only voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors from low risk populations.

It is our hope that in designating one special day each year to celebrate the role of these blood donors in health care around the world, a new generation of blood donors will follow their example, thereby providing the safest blood possible for use wherever and whenever it is needed to save life.”

The overall objective of World Blood Donor Day is to increase awareness concerning the concept of altruistic blood donation, and to gain political commitment and support from health authorities, with further approval and implementation of national policies and plans for improved blood service delivery at country level.

• Visit the World Blood Donor Day web site
• Announcement for World Blood Donor Day
• Download guidelines on Making the most of World Blood Donor Day (1.3 MB, 44 pages)
• Download the World Blood Donor Day poster (366 Kb, 1 page)