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World Blood Donor Day 2006
The world is making slow progress towards the goal of 100% unpaid, voluntary blood donation, falling short of ensuring the safety and the sustainability of blood supplies. Most developing countries still depend on paid donors or family member donors. However, some countries such as China, Malaysia and India have shown progress in the last two years by applying stricter principles within their AIDS prevention programmes.
On World Blood Donor Day, 14 June, the World Health Organization (WHO) publishes findings from its most recent global survey on blood collection and blood testing practices.
Regular, unpaid voluntary donors are the mainstay of a safe and sustainable blood supply because they are less likely to lie about their health status. Evidence indicates that they are also more likely to keep themselves healthy. South Africa, for instance, has an HIV prevalence of 23.3 % in the adult population but only 0.03% among its regular blood donors.
The WHO survey shows that out of the 124 countries that provided data to WHO, 56 saw an increase in unpaid voluntary donation. The remaining 68 have either made no progress or have seen a decline in the number of unpaid voluntary donors. Of the 124 countries, 49 have reached 100% unpaid voluntary blood donation. Out of those 49, only 17 are developing countries.
The number of donations per 1000 population is about 15 times greater in high-income than in low-income countries. This is concerning because developing countries have an even greater need for sustained supplies of safe blood since many conditions requiring blood transfusions - such as severe malaria-related anaemia in children or serious pregnancy complications - are still claiming over one million lives every year. About 25% of deaths caused by severe bleeding during delivery could be prevented through access to safe blood.
In the area of blood testing, 56 out of 124 countries did not screen all of their donated blood for HIV, hepatitis B and C and syphilis. Reasons given for this include scarcity or unaffordability of test kits, lack of infrastructure and shortage of trained staff.
On the other hand, several countries have risen to the challenge. Of the countries surveyed, St. Lucia made the biggest jump forward, going from 24.39% of collected blood coming from unpaid volunteers in 2002 to 83.05% in 2004. Malaysia went from 50% in 2002 to 99% in 2004 and India from 45% to 52.42%.
According to government responses to the WHO questionnaire, the reason for progress is tied to stronger AIDS prevention programmes.
In China, government figures show that all donated blood in 2005 was tested for the four infections. In the area of blood donation, China has seen a rise of unpaid voluntary donors from 22% in 1998 to 94.5% in 2005. China’s progress is due particularly to its reduction of commercial blood and plasma, thus minimizing the practice of unregulated blood collection and provision throughout the country while also strengthening HIV prevention.
The World Health Organization introduced the 100% unpaid, voluntary blood donation policy in 1997. World Blood Donor Day, an annual event on June 14, is a day to help governments reach that target by creating awareness of the need for sustainable supplies of safe blood. It is also a day to thank existing blood donors for the remarkable gift they make to those whose lives they have improved or saved, and to encourage new donors to commit.
Commitment is the theme of this year's World Blood Donor Day; from regular and potential donors, but also from governments and the global community to maintain blood safety high on the agenda as a vital factor in treatment and disease prevention.
The global celebration of World Blood Donor Day 2006 on June 14 will take place in Bangkok, Thailand. It will be hosted by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Training in Blood Transfusion Medicine and the Thai Red Cross Society National Blood Centre. Over 100 other countries will join in the celebrations.
World Blood Donor Day was established at the 58th World Health Assembly in May 2005 by WHO's 192 Member States, to urge all countries in the world to thank blood donors, promote voluntary, unpaid blood donations and ensure safe supplies of blood for all.
Alarming low availability of water, fuel and food in Lebanon
Humanitarian situation in Lebanon is seriously deteriorating due to the continuous military operations that hit the Lebanese capital Beirut and its districts causing a full destruction of its infrastructure and public facilities. In the meantime, roads were closed preventing relief teams from action.
The World Health Organization has serious concerns that all population in South Lebanon have no access to relief aids and health care services with the military operations passing its 12th day and number of civilian casualities is over 350 deaths 1200 murdered and over 600.000 displaced of which 108000 are temporarily housed in schools.
WHO particularly mourned against the alarming low availability of drinking water, diminishing fuel supplies, food insecurity and precarious hygiene and sanitation, a situation that will likely lead to unpredictable disease outbreak. The World Health Organization drew attention to the fact that the insecurity coupled with the full damage of the infrastructure, provision of specialized care and medicine for the chronically ill, such as diabetics, hypertensive, patients with heart and renal impairments has been curtailed.
Ian Egland, United Emergency relief coordinator had met senior officials in Lebanese government, heads of NGO’s and representatives of relief agencies to discuss ways to ensure provision of AIDS to affected people. He requested that safe humanitarian passages be accessible for this prupose.
WHO is increasing the stuffing number and logistic support to enhance relief operations currently undertaken inside Lebanon and from Syria. The organization is preparing to place health staff in schools that are currently functioning as shelters, in order to monitor health conditions.
A humanitarian response is being emphasized from a regional perspective with surge capacities established in neighbouring countries, Jordan, Syria and Cyprus, to afford flexibility and operational freedom in of geographical expansion of conflict or changing security situation.
WHO finalized assessment of the health component. An amount of 32.4 million dollars is urgently needed. In this respect WHO issued a flash appeal calling upon donors, governments and International Community to urgently provide this amount to cover the badly needed medicines and vaccines and to ensure the necessary preventive and health care services.
WHO continues its humanitarian efforts in Lebanon
As the current crisis in Lebanon enters its third week, the situation of the country continues to deteriorate. The number of civilian casualties is escalating at an alarming rate, with many more injured and displaced. Most recently, there have been overnight air strikes on the city of Qana in Southern Lebanon, which claimed the lives of many civilians particularly children. WHO has strongly condemned this attack, which has seriously added to an already severely high death toll and which further complicates this human catastrophe.
The World Health Organization in close collaboration with the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health leads the health cluster among the aid agencies. The cluster has been coordinating its efforts to cater to the urgent health needs of all civilians affected by the conflict. The WHO Regional Director Dr Hussein A. Gezairy and the Director General’s Special representative for Health Action in Crisis, Dr Ala’Din Alwan have paid visits to The Syrian Arab Republic and Lebanon to monitor the situation closely and strengthen WHO’s operations in the conflict affected areas. Humanitarian aid and medical supplies need to be distributed immediately through Lebanon’s neighbouring countries, specifically The Syrian Arab Republic, Jordan and Cyprus. However, this is proving to be very difficult as routes into Lebanon are as yet unsafe or closed. This problem can only be solved if an immediate ceasefire comes into force.
Below is a summary of how the health situation stands:
• UN convoys carrying medical supplies, including WHO medical ones successfully managed to reach certain affected areas in Southern Lebanon. The supplies are enough for 50,000 people for 3 months. They include emergency health kits, oral rehydration salts and other items. More convoys are being organized
• WHO is ensuring sufficient quantities of chlorine are available to improve access to safe drinking water. UNICEF is distributing drinking water and installing water tanks
• 2 new shelters will soon be opened in The Syrian Arab Republic to accommodate thousands of Lebanese refugees
• WHO is setting up a surveillance system in both Lebanon and Syria to monitor the health status of the displaced population.
• With the prevalence of non-communicable diseases in Lebanon such as heart disease, diabetes and hypertension, thousands of people need regular medication or treatment to survive. WHO has been trying to procure medication from the local market and neighbouring countries
• A measles immunization campaign is scheduled for next week in Beirut
• A number of psychotherapy workshops are being conducted for all staff working with Lebanese refugees
• Pledges from a number of donors have been received by WHO. These include Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Norway and Sweden. WHO estimates that over $32 million dollars will be needed for health needs alone.
