World Blood Donor Day 2025: ‘Give blood, give hope – together we save lives’

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 World Blood Donor Day 2025: ‘Give blood, give hope – together we save lives’

https://www.emro.who.int/media/news/world-blood-donor-day-2025-give-blood-give-hope-together-we-save-lives.html

4 June 2025, Cairo, Egypt –World Blood Donor Day (WBDD), observed each year on 14 June, serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their lifesaving gifts of blood.

A blood service that gives patients access to safe blood and blood products in sufficient quantity is a key component of an effective health system. This year’s banner, Give blood, give hope – together we save lives, underscores the lifesaving impact of blood transfusion and how, by donating regularly, we can all play a part in building a healthier, more compassionate world.

In low-income countries, women of childbearing age and children under 5 are among the most frequent recipients of blood. Blood transfusions provide lifesaving support for women experiencing bleeding related to pregnancy and childbirth and for children suffering from severe anaemia due to malaria or malnutrition.

Access to safe blood remains a pressing concern in the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region where many countries fall below the WHO recommended minimum of 10 blood donations per 1000 people per year. Each blood donation has the potential to save up to 3 lives. Despite some advances, voluntary non-remunerated donations often account for less than 50% of the blood supply.

In a Region facing complex challenges due to ongoing humanitarian emergencies, blood shortages can lead to life-threatening situations for vulnerable groups and victims of conflict or disaster.

“Voluntary blood donation can save lives and bring hope,” says WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region Dr Hanan Balkhy.  “We commend every blood donor whose selfless act of generosity brings hope to the lives they touch.”

Stringent safety protocols make the blood donation process safe for donors and recipients. By ensuring that hospitals have the blood they need for surgeries and emergencies, at all time, we ensure access to a lifesaving health product for those who need it, and cultivate a culture of community support.

To ensure that everyone who needs a transfusion has access to safe blood, countries rely on a pool of voluntary, unpaid donors who give blood regularly. A strong and sustainable blood donor programme, with broad, active participation from the community, is essential to meet the need for blood.

WHO calls on all stakeholders – individuals, communities, governments, partners and civil society – to work together to ensure that every patient who needs blood can receive it.

“We urge governments, partners and communities to invest in developing sustainable, regulated blood systems that enhance the collection of blood from voluntary, unpaid donors. To our youth – your donation can save lives. Together, we can give blood and, in doing so, give hope,” adds Dr Balkhy.

As part of the activities marking WBDD 2025, the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean and the WHO Country Office in Egypt, in collaboration with Egypt’s National Blood Transfusion Service, are organizing a blood donation drive in the Regional Office where WHO staff can donate blood and contribute to this momentum.

‫اليوم العالمي للمتبرعين بالدم لعام 2025‬: “تَبَرَّعْ بالدم، امنَحْ الأمل: معًا نُنقذ الأرواح”‬