WHO/ WORLD BLOOD DONOR DAY

On World Blood Donor Day the World Health Orgainization is calling on countries to improve access to safe blood for saving the lives of mothers. WHO

 

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:05
• Production Date: 13 June 2014
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION - WHO
• Subject Topical: HEALTH; MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH
• MAMS Id: 1127214

Description

STORY: WHO / BLOOD DONOR DAY
TRT: 1:05
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS

DATELINE: 10 JUNE 2014, GENEVA /FILE

Shotlist

FILE – GENAEVA WHO HQ 2010

1. Various shots, blood donation
2. SOUDBITE (English) Dr Neelam Dhingra, Coordinator for Blood Transfusion Safety, WHO:
“Every day, worldwide, around 800 women die due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Severe bleeding during pregnancy and childbirth is the single biggest cause of maternal mortality and an urgent need for safe blood supplies are essential to save lives of these women, who require transfusion at the time of childbirth.”
3. Various shots, blood donation
4. SOUDBITE (English) Dr Neelam Dhingra, Coordinator for Blood Transfusion Safety, WHO:
“In many countries, access to safe blood is not available when required. This is due to a lack of education of the public and the donors for the need for blood donation. It is the responsibility of national health systems in each and every country to make sure that supplies of safe blood and blood products are available to meet the transfusion needs of mothers who require transfusion.”
5. Various shots, blood donation

Storyline

On World Blood Donor Day (14 June) the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on countries to improve access to safe blood for saving the lives of mothers.

Every day, almost 800 women die from causes related to complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Severe bleeding during pregnancy, delivery or after childbirth is the single biggest cause of maternal death and can kill a healthy woman within two hours if she is unattended. Urgent access to safe supplies of blood for transfusion is critical to saving these women’s lives.

The safest source of blood is from regular, voluntary unpaid donors whose blood is screened for infections. A World Health Assembly resolution in 2010 highlights that a secure supply of safe blood components, based on voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation, is an important national goal to prevent blood shortages.

Today, in many low- and middle-income countries, blood supply is critically inadequate. Sub-Saharan Africa, which has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world of 510 deaths per 100 000 live births, also has the lowest blood donation rates.

According to the latest WHO survey on blood safety and availability, 40 African countries collect less than 10 blood donations per 1000 population per year; of these, 25 countries collect less than half the blood that they need to meet transfusion requirements. High-income countries collect around 35 donations per 1000 population per year.

In many countries, family members are often pressured to donate blood or find a replacement donor in an emergency situation. This causes emotional and financial stress and significant delays in obtaining suitable blood, and also puts women at risk of bloodborne infections as there is often no time or facilities to properly screen the donated blood.

Currently, 73 countries collect more than 90 percent of their blood supply from voluntary unpaid blood donors (38 are high-income countries, 26 middle-income countries and 9 low-income countries).

About 108 million blood donations are collected worldwide every year. Almost half of these are collected in high-income countries, home to just 15 percent of the world’s population.

WHO maintains that providing safe and adequate supplies of blood and blood products should be an integral part of every country’s efforts to improve maternal health.