Blood donations in Africa still lower than demand — WHO

The Regional Director of the World Health Organisation, Matshidiso Moeti, has said blood donation in Africa remains low and has continued to fall short of the demand on the continent.

African countries, she said, collect only 5.2 units of blood per 1,000 people, which is significantly low when compared to the 33 units of blood per 1,000 people collected in developed countries.

Mrs Moeti said this in a statement issued on Friday to commemorate the 20th World Blood Donation Day (WBDD) in 2024 which is themed: “20 years of Celebrating Giving: Thank You, Blood Donors!”

She maintained that the supply in Africa also falls below the 10 donations per 1,000 people recommended by WHO.

“Only 18 out of 47 countries had reached the regional target of at least 80 per cent of blood supply from Voluntary Non-Remunerated Blood Donors. Yet, the demand for blood remains constant, while the supply often falls short,” she said.

She noted that countries must address the persistent challenges in the availability of safe blood and blood products and through collective efforts must raise adequate, source sustainable funding, and continue to build systems and capacities to increase blood donation rate.

She said countries also need to build systems that separate donated blood into its components and can be stored for long-term use.

Blood donation crucial

Speaking further, Mrs Moeti described blood transfusion as a critical aspect of health care provision and the protection of human life.

She said blood transfusions primarily benefit, among other groups, mothers during childbirth, under-nourished and malaria-affected children, victims of trauma and accidents, and patients suffering from sickle cell or any chronic diseases.

She said: “Each donation is a beacon of hope in someone’s life. There are numerous transformative stories of donation, each unique, yet all share a common thread of compassion and humanity. We appreciate the gesture and are immensely grateful to all the donors in our region and worldwide; we owe them a debt of gratitude.

“We join the international community to mark the selfless act of donating blood. World Blood Donor Day is not merely a date on the calendar; it is a celebration of altruism, empathy, and social responsibility. It is a day to acknowledge and honour blood donors whose acts help save the lives of others.”

She urged that the health of blood donors should also be prioritised and the quality of care needed must be accorded to them.

According to her, this is critical in encouraging them and building the commitment and willingness to donate blood regularly.

“I urge our Member States to uphold the blood regulatory systems we’ve put in place and set up a special national time to inspire citizens to donate blood.

“I encourage donor organisations to support our capacity-building efforts for efficient National Blood Transfusion Services.

I recommend that communities support those who donate blood to encourage others to donate. This has the potential to create an exponential increase in the availability of life-saving donor blood when and where it is needed most,” she added.

WHO’s efforts

Mrs Moeti also stated that over the years, the WHO has provided technical and financial support to its member states in their efforts to improve blood product availability, quality, and safety.

She said the organisation has developed and implemented policies, guidelines and regulatory systems for blood donation, transfusion, blood components, and blood products.

She said the organisation has built the “capacity of national regulatory authorities and National Blood Transfusion Services to execute the effective regulatory oversight and coordination needed to ensure the implementation of quality standards.

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“Strengthening collaboration with partners to promote WHO leadership in developing and implementing best practices in blood quality and safety in the region.”

She said the number of countries that have fully developed a national blood policy, increased from 37 in 2015 to 43 in 2022.

Also, the percentage of countries participating in an external quality assessment scheme for transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) increased from 55.3 per cent to per cent.

World Blood Donor Day

World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) is celebrated on 14 June each year and was first launched in 2004 by the WHO and three other major international organisations.

The organisations are; The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; the International Federation of Blood Donor Organisations (IFBDO) and the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT).

The event serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.

The global theme of World Blood Donor Day changes each year in recognition of the selfless individuals who donate their blood to people unknown to them.

The theme for the year is: “20 Years of Celebrating Giving: Thank You, Blood Donors!”

Speaking about the event, Mrs Moeti said the 20th anniversary is fitting to reflect on the achievements recorded so far, address challenges, and envision a future where safe blood transfusion is universally accessible.

She noted that the blood service that gives patients access to safe blood and blood products in sufficient quantity is a key component of an effective health system.