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Donor blood - a chance for life
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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Every year, millions of people get a second chance thanks to donated blood, and WHO has called for more volunteers who are willing to donate their blood for the sake of another person's life.
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan noted that in order to obtain the necessary blood supplies, it is necessary to attract more voluntary donors who are willing to provide their blood to save the life of another person for free.
Thanks to donor blood, many patients not only receive the opportunity to significantly improve their quality of life, but also the chance to live longer.
In addition, the necessary blood reserves in hospitals make it possible to perform complex surgical interventions, save the lives of women in labor and pregnant women, as well as victims of various natural disasters (for example, earthquakes, complicated births, etc.).
Severe bleeding in pregnant women, women in labor during labor or after childbirth is the most common cause of death in women (in 2013, about 30% of pregnant women and women in labor died due to bleeding).
Recently, the amount of donor blood required has increased; in countries with medium and low living standards, the available blood supplies are not enough for everyone in need, while blood services have some problems both with creating the necessary blood supply and with ensuring its quality and safety.
In 2012, of the total amount of donor blood collected worldwide, approximately 50% was from developed countries with a high standard of living, where less than 20% of the world's population lives.
The health organization notes that the blood needs of a thousand people can be met by just 10 donors, but more than seventy countries have stated that they are unable to make even a minimal blood supply.
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of people willing to donate their blood for free, and in 73 countries the necessary blood supplies can only be obtained through such donors. But the WHO notes that work needs to continue, since in 72 countries donor blood is provided only by relatives or on a paid basis.
According to WHO, the safest blood of proper quality can only be obtained from voluntary donors.
One of the WHO specialists, Hernan Montenegro, noted that voluntary blood donation allows for safe and complete blood supplies, regardless of the country's standard of living. In order to meet all blood needs and improve access to this type of treatment, it is necessary to call as many citizens as possible to become voluntary blood donors.
Blood transfusions are sometimes the only option to save lives. But in some countries, access to this service is unequal due to insufficient supplies.
Ensuring adequate supplies of high-quality blood should be a key focus of health policy for every country, and WHO has made recommendations and is prepared to provide technical assistance to all countries that require support and that need to develop national voluntary blood donation systems.
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