World Blood Donor Day

World Blood Donor Day is observed on June 14 every year around the world. It is a day to show appreciation to voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood. It is also a day to raise awareness of the need for regular blood donations to ensure the quality, safety and availability of blood and blood products for patients in need. Every year, transfusion of blood and blood products save millions of lives. Blood transfusions support complex medical and surgical procedures, maternal and child care as well as during emergency response to man-made and natural disasters. Blood donations from volunteers account for about 112 million blood donations from around the world yearly. However, 50% of these donations are from high-income countries, which are home to about 19% of the world’s population. About two-thirds of blood donations in low-income countries are for the blood transfusions of children aged five and below. In the high-income countries, 75% of the blood donations are for transfusions of adults aged 60 and above.