Monday 19 May 2014

World Donor Day - WHO




WHO - World blood donator day, is quickly coming up.  


The theme for this year is.............


                    "Safe blood for Saving mothers" 




Many women with Accreta will need a blood transfusion to save their lives, so that they can be here on the other side.  The average transfusion for an Accreta mother is 8 units- around 4 litres of blood. Many however will need much more than that.  I myself needed 54 Units and 80 blood products from around 134 donations.  Without that gift of safe blood I would not be here today to enjoy my baby growing up.  WHO Donor day is a time to for us who have received to help give back, by saying a big 'thank you' to all those that have generously given. 

If you, like me, have a received the gift of blood donation and want to be a part of giving back to donors this World Blood Donor Day, then send an email: ginawalker@hopeforaccreta.org  

"Safe blood for saving mothers"

The focus for this year’s campaign is “Safe blood for saving mothers”. The campaign will increase awareness about why timely access to safe blood and blood products is essential for all countries as part of a comprehensive approach to prevent maternal deaths.
WHO encourages all countries and national and international partners working on blood transfusion and maternal health to develop an activity plan to highlight the need for timely access to safe blood and blood products in the prevention of maternal deaths.

WHO/O. O’Hanlon
Activities may include commemorative events, meetings, publication / dissemination of relevant stories on media outlets, scientific conferences, publication of articles on national, regional and international scientific journals, and other activities that would help in promoting the theme of this year’s World Blood Donor Day (WBDD).

Background information

Every year, on 14 June, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day. The event raises awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.
Every day, about 800 women die from pregnancy or childbirth-related complications. Almost all of these deaths occur in developing countries. More than half of them occur in sub-Saharan Africa and almost one third in South Asia. The risk of maternal mortality is highest for adolescent girls under 15 years of age.
Severe bleeding during delivery and after childbirth is a major cause of mortality, morbidity and long-term disability. However, access to safe and sufficient blood and blood products and the rational and safe use of blood transfusion still remain major challenges in many countries around the world.

The objectives of this year’s global campaign

  • Ministries of health, particularly in countries with high rates of maternal mortality, to take concrete steps towards ensuring that health facilities in their countries improve access to safe blood and blood products from volunteer donors for women giving birth.
  • National blood services in countries with high rates of maternal mortality to focus on safe blood for mothers in their activities and products for the 2014 campaign.
  • Maternal health programmes and partnerships engage in the 2014 campaign.
  • WHO and partners throughout the world highlight ." - World Health Organisation


Don't forget if you would like to help, or be a face for the International Hope for Accreta Blood Drive in  January 2015, please let us know. We look forward to hearing from you. 

- Christina Mathewson

No comments:

Post a Comment