Malawi to Join the world in Commemorating the 2022 World Blood Donor Day
Malawi will join the rest of the world in commemorating the World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) on 14 June 2022. The commemorations will be coordinated by the Ministry of Health (MoH), Malawi Blood Transfusion Service (MBTS), Blood Donor Association of Malawi (BDAM) and the World Health Organization (WHO) under the theme: “Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the effort and save lives”.
The WBDD was designated to be commemorated on every 14 June by the ministers of health for WHO Member States at the World Health Assembly in 2005 and is globally coordinated by four founding partners: the WHO, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCRCS), the International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations (IFBDO) and the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) to recognize and honour the people who donate blood voluntarily without expecting any payment in return for the blood they give.
According to the WHO statement: “The day provides an opportunity to call to action governments and national health authorities to provide adequate resources to increase the collection of blood from voluntary, unpaid blood donors and manage access to blood and the transfusion of those who require it.”
The statement highlights that blood and blood products are essential resources for effective management of women suffering from bleeding associated with pregnancy and childbirth.
It reads: “Children suffering from severe anaemia due malaria and malnutrition, patients with blood and bone marrow disorders, inherited disorders of haemoglobin and immune deficiency conditions, victims of trauma, emergencies, disasters and accidents as well as patients undergoing advanced medical and surgical procedures.”
Malawi requires 120,000 units of blood units per year. However, voluntary blood donations currently fail to meet the requirement. This impedes universal access to safe blood and blood products by those in need of transfusions. MBTS is appealing to all Malawians to recognise the critical role that voluntary non remunerated blood donations play in supporting patients in need of transfusions.
According to the WHO, every day about 800 women die from pregnancy or childbirth – related complications in the world. Around 65 per cent of blood and blood products are mostly used by women and under-five children.
Malawi will commemorate the day on 18th June 2022 in four districts: Blantyre, Balaka, Lilongwe and Mzuzu at National Bank of Malawi PLC Leadership Centre ( Formerly Learning and Growth Centre, Makolo Gardens, Kabudula Hospital Ground and Katoto ground respectively.
For More Information Contact: Allen Kaombe, MBTS Marketing and Public Relations Manager on 0888 206 934 kaombea@mbtsmalawi.com :mbtsinfo@mbtsmalawi.com.