Banjul 20 June 2014 - The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, WHO and partners joined the international  community to commemorate World Blood Donor Day 2014. The theme for this year, “Safe blood for saving mothers” focuses on raising people’s awareness about the critical need for safe products to be available to everyone, especially for women suffering from severe bleeding during delivery or after childbirth. 

Speaking at the occasion the Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Hon. Omar Sey, expressed his gratitude to the Gambia blood transfusion services, the blood donor groups and to all  those who  care for mothers in voluntarily donating blood to prevent blood shortages. He noted that access to safe blood for obstetric care still remains a major challenge, contributing to high maternal mortality in many countries.

Hon. Omar Sey, lamented that a high proportion of blood supplies are needed for the management of complication of pregnancies and childbirth as well as for treating severe childhood anaemia, citing low and middle countries as the most affected. He therefore urged communities to come out in large numbers to secure supply of safe blood components, based on voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation.

He thanked WHO for all its policy guidance and technical assistance to support countries in developing national blood systems based on voluntary unpaid blood donations.

The WHO Representative, Dr. Sagoe-Moses extended greetings of the Regional Director, Dr. Luis Sambo, noting that the theme is particularly important in Africa where 1 out of 38 women die from pregnancy-related complications compared to 1 out of 3700 in other parts of the world. He highlighted the importance of Blood transfusion in the provision of health services and described   patients especially women and children who die because of lack of blood or are infected when transfused with unsafe blood as unfortunate.

WR went further to say that despite progress made in the increase of blood donations, the number of units of blood collected remains inadequate compared to the needs of patients, especially in the rural areas where maternal deaths are usually high. This he attributed to the “lack of adequate infrastructure and insufficient qualified health workers and communication difficulties, all of which hamper the organization of blood collection in some localities”.

He finally thanked all voluntary blood donors and encouraged them to continue this noble gesture of giving blood - the gift of life. He congratulate and express  WHO’s  continued support  to all appropriate initiatives aimed at ensuring that safe blood and blood products are available to save African women who risk death to give life.

Other speakers included the Deputy Governor of the Upper River Region (URR), the Regional Health Director, the Manager – Gambia Blood Transfusion Services who all made similar gestures. The event was marked with musical entertainment and Drama, to sensitize communities within reach.

Outstanding regular donors were later presented with certificates in appreciation of their good gestures. Counselling and donation of blood by voluntary donors followed with the WHO Representative, Dr. Charles Sagoe-Moses being the first donor for that day. Another activity held prior to the commemoration was a media briefing for journalists. Community sensitization will continue so as to involve more men in blood donation and to break any myth  or barrier for donors.

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Contacts: Mr. Momodou Gassama, Health Promotion Officer,  gassamam [at] who.int (gassamam[at]who[dot]int) —(+220)- 4462286;  Mr. George. Williams, Health Information Assistant,    williamsg [at] who.int (williamsg[at]who[dot]int) —(+220) 4462284