World Day Honors Blood Donors

"We recognize today the great generosity of people who donate blood," said PAHO Director Mirta Roses. "We thank them for helping us save lives."

Ten-year-old Melissa González, the daughter of a PAHO staffer, thanked voluntary blood donors for helping save her life when, as a young child, she had to undergo open heart surgery. "I thank everyone who gives blood, because now I am cured and I can have a normal day."

World Blood Donor Day was organized by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations and the International Society of Blood Transfusion, with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and PAHO. Its objective is to create wider awareness of the importance of voluntary blood donation by recognizing and thanking those who voluntarily donate their blood. "It is our hope that a new generation of blood donors will follow their example, providing the safest blood possible for use wherever and whenever it is needed to save life," says the website dedicated to World Blood Donor Day (see www.wbdd.org).

PAHO Director Mirta Roses embraces Melissa González, who had open heart surgery at age 5. González thanked blood donors on behalf of herself and other blood recipients. Photo ©Armando Waak/PAHO

Voluntary blood donation is a key element in PAHO's regional blood safety strategy. Blood from voluntary donors is significantly safer than blood given for payment or even "replacement" blood from patients' friends and family members. Paid blood donations are nearly 40 times more likely to screen positive for hepatitis C and 175 times more likely to screen positive for HIV. Other diseases transmitted by blood in the Americas include Chagas' disease and syphilis.

As a matter of policy, Canada and the United States collect all their blood from voluntary donors. But other countries in the Americas collect just 30 percent of their blood from volunteers. The National Blood Programs of Latin America and the Caribbean have set the goal of reaching 50 percent voluntary blood donations by the end of 2007.

During the June 14 celebration, PAHO presented certificates of recognition to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Pan American Health and Education Foundation, Rotary International and the United Blood Services Foundation and UBS El Paso for their support of voluntary blood donations, blood screening and the strengthening of blood banks throughout the Americas.