By: Dr. Satyawan Saurabh
World Blood Donor Day is celebrated on June 14 to express gratitude to blood donors, raising awareness about the need for safe blood and blood products that can save the lives of millions of people each year. This day celebrates the birthday of Carl Landsteiner who discovered the main blood groups and helped develop a system for classifying blood groups. The theme for this year’s World Blood Donor Day campaign is ‘Safe Blood Saves Lives’, while the slogan is ‘Give Blood and Make the World Healthy’.
Blood donation is a life-giving activity. Every drop of your blood can be the source of someone’s life. No one’s life is lost due to lack of blood, by donating one unit of blood we can save the lives of four people. With the slogan ‘Give Blood and Make the World Healthy’, the campaign raises awareness in achieving the universal need for safe blood and achieving the goal of universal health coverage in healthcare delivery. The event serves to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.
Blood and blood products save millions of lives every year. Blood and blood products are essential components in the proper management of women suffering from bleeding associated with pregnancy and childbirth; Children with severe anemia due to malaria and malnutrition; patients with blood and bone marrow disorders, disorders of hemoglobin and immune deficiency conditions; Victims of trauma, emergencies, disasters and accidents; At the same time patients have to undergo blood donation in advanced medical and surgical procedures.
In India, 70% of blood donation is done by voluntary donors and the rest comes from a replacement donors. The replacement donors include friends, relatives, family members etc. Replacement donors are not free from danger. Many hospitals do not check their medical history. The donor goes to meet the immediate demand for blood donation. But in a hurry many hospitals donate blood to others without following the whole procedure related to blood donation which is sometimes life threatening, hence raising awareness among the people about voluntary donation, increasing facilities for donation.
Another disease associated with blood is blood pressure i.e. it is also called silent killer. This is a problem that gradually brings with it many deadly diseases. According to the World Health Organization, there are 7 million deaths due to high blood pressure every year worldwide. High blood pressure reduces the light of the eyes and makes it appear blurred. High blood pressure can cause the blood vessels in the kidneys to become narrow or thick. This prevents the kidneys from doing their job properly and contaminants start accumulating in the blood.
High blood pressure poses the greatest risk to the heart. When the heart does not get enough oxygen due to narrow or hardened blood vessels, chest pain can occur and if the blood flow stops, heart attack can also occur. High blood pressure can affect a patient’s memory, which is called dementia. On the other hand, low blood pressure causes serious heart disease, heart disease weakens the heart muscles, as a result of which the heart cannot pump enough blood and our BP becomes low. Heart patients and victims of anemia should protect themselves from BP.
There are some facts about blood donation that are very important for awareness among the people. Around 112.5 million units of donated blood are collected every year in the world, although many patients with blood transfusions need safe blood and blood products. Access is not available on time. Voluntary, unpaid blood donors are the basis of safe, sustainable and one hundred percent blood supply in sixty two countries. The life span of donated blood is thirty five to forty two days; Hence there is a constant need to replenish stocks in blood banks. Healthy blood donors range in age from 18 to 65 years. One unit of blood can benefit many patients by separating into its various components. HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis should always be checked in the blood before blood transfusion.
There is a need to provide awareness in India today to increase blood collection through voluntary donations. People also need to donate blood, and provide suitable facilities for a better donor. Providing safe and adequate blood should be an integral part of every country. Therefore more blood banks need to be opened in rural Indian areas to provide immediate assistance. Also government hospitals, private hospitals should be encouraged to conduct blood donation camps.
The central body needs to do more to promote voluntary blood donation, ensure safe blood transfusion, provide infrastructure to blood centers, develop human resources in India and formulate and implement blood policy. The e-blood fund should try to reach out to as many people as possible to connect, digitize and streamline the work of blood banks across the country and every person should keep in mind that every second, someone, anywhere needs blood. So donate blood to give life to someone.
