Today marks the 10th anniversary of World Blood Donor Day. On a daily basis blood is transfused to millions of people in hospitals across the world. People meet with accidents and some bleed to death because they are not taken to hospital in time for blood transfusion. Others with blood diseases like Leukaemia or Haemophilia also require constant blood transfusion to continue to live. Earlier there was very little awareness about the consequences of donating blood. People used to believe that it takes months or years for the body to make the blood that is donated. Now they know that a healthy body which is required to qualify to be a blood donor can replenish the blood donated within a short time especially if a person takes a careful, balanced diet.
World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) aims to help build a worldwide culture of voluntary blood donation. Since its inception, this event has celebrated blood donors and highlighted the unique life-saving role they play in the health of their community. This Day is also used to create wider awareness about the need for blood and how many more people throughout the world need to become regular voluntary blood donors. This time there has been wide publicity through FM Radio about the importance of donating blood since this is a scare, yet so important commodity. When people know that blood donation does not have any adverse effects on their health they might be more willing to sign up as blood donors. This is particularly true of the youth. Greater awareness should be created about the importance of blood donation in schools and colleges. It’s a noble gesture through which an unknown life could be saved. Earlier professional donors would charge for their blood. They would hang around in hospital compounds waiting to be asked to donate blood. Those days are gone. Today a blood donors are first screened to ensure that the blood they are about to donate is free from infection. With the advent of drug addiction and intravenous drug use among a section of youth HIV positivity has gone up. Such people’s blood is potentially dangerous as they can spread the infection. Then there are different strains of the Hepatitis virus which is also transmitted by blood. All these new diseases have made blood donation risky and one that requires thorough screening. What needs to be remembered is that every healthy adult can be a blood donor. What is required is the heart to give generously. Let us hope many people today decide to do this noble deed.