Caption: The Lao Red Cross and Lao Blood Bank Center celebrate World Blood Day every year in Vientiane. This year, the event saw a number of students, government staff, and volunteers across all sectors donating their blood. Thank you to all voluntary, unpaid blood donors! Photo: © WHO/Benjamin Duncan
To mark World Blood Donor Day (14 June), people from Laos and around the world today gave blood en mass at the Lao International Trade Exhibition and Convention Center (Lao ITECC). Held under the slogan “Safe blood for all”, the event was organized by the Lao Red Cross and Lao Blood Bank Center and attended by WHO Representative to Lao PDR, Dr Mark Jacobs. The “Safe blood for all” campaign aims to raise awareness of the crucial importance of safe blood supplies in the delivery of health care, and the crucial role that voluntary donations play in making sure enough safe blood is available for people who need it.
After giving his blood, Dr Jacobs said:
“Many of us will need a blood transfusion at some stage in our lives, like after an injury, surgery or giving birth. The people donating blood here today, and right through the year, are leading the way in ensuring safe blood is available for anyone who needs it. Giving blood today is a small, easy but important personal contribution I can make to health here in Laos. I'm very happy to do it.”
Caption: WHO Representative to Lao PDR, Dr Mark Jacobs (pictured above), was donating blood this morning. Dr Jacobs is a regular blood donor reckoned this was at least his 60th time giving blood! Photo: © WHO/Benjamin Duncan
Caption: The Lao National TV programme was interviewing Dr Jacobs after his donation. He was happy to see so many Lao citizens contributing to saving lives. He said that everyone can be a lifesaver by voluntarily giving blood to those who are in need. Photo: © WHO/Benjamin Duncan
About World Blood Donor Day
The campaign is also a call to action to all governments, national health authorities and national blood services to provide adequate resources and put in place systems and infrastructures to increase collection of blood from voluntary, regular unpaid blood donors; to provide quality donor care; to promote and implement appropriate clinical use of blood, and to set up systems for the oversight and surveillance on the whole chain of blood transfusion.