World Blood Donor Day

World Blood Donor Day is celebrated on 14 June each year. This also marks the birth anniversary of the scientist, Karl Landsteiner, who was born on 14 June 1868. We commemorate the birth anniversary of Karl Landsteiner on World Blood Donor Day as a tribute to his discovery of the Blood groups A, B and O.

The theme for this year’s World Blood Donor Day is ‘Celebrating the gift of blood’, with the slogan ‘Give blood and keep the world beating’.

Blood plays a crucial role in all medical and surgical procedures. It helps patients suffering from life-threatening illness survive longer, and it also provides them with a better quality of life. Access to sufficient blood can save many who suffer from severe blood loss during accidents, or bleeding during and after childbirth.

Pathology Laboratory Manager at the General Hospital, Geoff Benjamin, commented:

“Here on St Helena our voluntary blood donor numbers are decreasing due to various factors such as age, chronic diseases or simply from people emigrating. Only 7% of our eligible population are blood donors. Therefore for the month of June the Pathology Department will be promoting the need for safe blood and increasing efforts to recruit new blood donors. Pathology staff will be out and about visiting various departments around the Island.”

The Health Services Directorate will be hosting a Blood Donor Recruitment Day at the Pathology Laboratory, the General Hospital, Jamestown, on Tuesday, 15 June 2021, between 9am and 5.30pm. If you are interested in becoming a blood donor you are encouraged to attend to find out more about the St Helena Transfusion Service and to sign up to become a blood donor.

Please support the St Helena Transfusion Service by signing up to the emergency donor panel. For further information, you can call the Pathology Department on tel: 22500.

Notes to Editor:

World Blood Donor Day is recognised as one of the eight official international public health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization. This international day is observed by all member states of the World Health Organization.

The objective of World Blood Donor Day 2021 is:

  • To provide a platform to thank the people who voluntarily donate blood often
  • To encourage individuals who do not donate blood to donate blood regularly
  • To support effective national blood donor programmes and eliminate the dependence on family and friends
  • To discourage paid blood donation, mostly when there is an acute shortage of blood when necessary
  • Educate people about the importance of safe blood transfusions and how blood products are such life savers
  • To help blood banks to manage sufficient blood supply.

Remember – your blood is replaceable … a life is not!

#StHelena #WorldBloodDonorDay #AltogetherHealthier  

SHG

9 June 2021

St Helena Government Communications Hub

Telephone: 22470
Email: communications@sainthelena.gov.sh