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National Policy on
safe blood
transfusion has been
adopted by the
Ministry of Health &
Family Welfare with
the support of WHO
 The “the
World Blood Donor
Day
2007”
was observed all
over Bangladesh, as
elsewhere in the
world, on June 14,
2007.
On 58th World Health
Assembly it was
declared that World
Blood Donor day
should be celebrated
on 14 June each year
in honor of
scientist Karl
Lanstainer’s
birthday who
discovered ABO blood
grouping system in
human being.
This year the theme
of the day was “Safe
Blood for Safe
Motherhood” to
high light the
important aspect of
blood transfusion in
treating patients
during pregnancy and
perinatal period.
Each year
approximately
500,000 women die
due to pregnancy
related complication
in the world. 25% of
which are due to
blood loss and could
be saved with timely
blood transfusion.
Safe Blood
Transfusion
Programme of
Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare,
International
Federation of Red
Cross and Red
Crescent, Red
Crescent Blood
Programme, Sandhani,
Badhan, Rotary Club
and Quantum jointly
organized the
different events of
World Blood Donor
Day in Bangladesh.
A colourful rally
and blood donation
programme took place
on the day in the
capital. The main
inaugural session
was at Osmani
Memorial Auditorium,
Dhaka of which the
Hono’ble Adviser of
the Ministry of
Health and Family
Welfare was the
chief guest. Special
supplements and
advocacy
advertisement were
published on the
leading newspapers.
Several electronics
media covered the
day with special
reporting.
In his speech Major
General (Rtd) Dr A S
M Motiur Rahman
said, “MOH&FW has
taken a decision to
establish a National
Blood Centre to
coordinate all
activity of safe
blood transfusion as
per WHO strategy.
National Policy on
Blood Safety has
been endorsed
recently by the
National Safe Blood
Transfusion
Council.” He urged
the young people to
come forward to
donate blood to have
100% voluntary
donation for safe
blood transfusion.
Referring to 98 safe
blood transfusion
centers he said that
the government is
going to expand the
facilities with a
central coordination
and quality control
to ensure rational
use of Blood and
Blood products.
Dr Duangvadee
Sungkhobol, WHO
Representative to
Bangladesh in her
speech thanked the
Government of
Bangladesh for
endorsing
National Policy on
Blood Safety
under the Ministry
of Health & Family
Welfare. “Voluntary
blood donor
organizations should
come forward and
take the leadership
to increase safe and
unpaid voluntary
blood donation. A
good number of
organizations are
working like
Shandhani, Red
Crescent, but yet to
reach 100%
voluntary,
non-remunerated
donation. Proper
donor care,
continued education
and motivation for
target population,
motivation for
relative donor,
donor award and
recognition can
foster the drive for
it” she added.
The WR emphasized on
better coordination
between voluntary
blood donor
organizations and
the hospitals to
foster need based
blood collection.
“Quality control,
prevention of
unnecessary
transfusion, use of
component therapy-
should have to be
encouraged for
optimum use of
blood” she added.
The
regular blood donors
(more than 50 times)
received
certificates for
their gifts of
lives. Leading
Voluntary blood
donor organizations
received crest from
the chief guest. The
speakers addressed
the occasion saying
that those donors
encouraged the day
to look forward when
Bangladesh will
reach 100% safe
Voluntary blood
donation accessible
and affordable for
every citizen in the
country.
Safe Blood
Transfusion
Programme started in
2000 in Bangladesh.
98 blood transfusion
centers are
currently playing a
vital role in
preventing of
HIV/AIDS and other
Transfusion
transmissible
diseases like
Hepatitis-B, C,
Syphilis and
Malaria.
WHO is collaborating
with Safe Blood
Transfusion
Programme service
since 2004. Besides,
WHO has engaged
Collaborating Centre
of National Blood
Centre in Bangkok,
Thailand for
providing technical
assistance to SBTP.
A group of experts
from NBC has
imparted training of
Blood Component
Preparation with
Quality Control of
component very
recently in
Bangladesh. |