WHO says Pakistan faces annual shortfall of 2.3 million blood donations

ISLAMABAD: Marking World Blood Donor Day, the World Health Organisation has urged people across Pakistan to donate blood voluntarily, warning that a yearly shortfall of 2.3 million donations is severely constraining hospitals’ ability to save lives.

Under this year’s campaign slogan, One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives, the WHO said the global observance places humanity at the centre of blood donation and highlights that giving blood is more than a medical procedure. It said a single donation can save up to three lives.

According to the WHO, Pakistan’s healthcare system requires more than 5 million blood donations each year, but currently receives around 2.7 million. Of these, only 18 per cent come from voluntary, unpaid donors, while 82pc are provided by family members or replacement donors.

The organisation said the shortage is affecting access to life-saving care for patients who need transfusions in a wide range of medical situations. It said blood transfusions are vital for handling pregnancy-related bleeding, treating severe anaemia in children, bleeding disorders, infectious diseases and various chronic illnesses, including cancers. They are also used in complex medical and surgical procedures and for long-term treatment of conditions such as sickle cell disease, thalassemia, haemophilia and immune disorders.

WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr Luo Dapeng said voluntary donors play a central role in protecting public health and saving lives. “Voluntary blood donors are public health heroes. On World Blood Donor Day, WHO pays tribute to the millions of voluntary, unpaid blood donors whose generosity saves lives every day in Pakistan and across the world. No patient, no mother, no sister, no son or daughter should die because of a lack of access to blood. Calls voluntary donors to give blood to save lives,” he added.

Dr Luo added that advances in medicine have increased the ability to save lives, but said hospitals and health workers cannot do so without public solidarity and blood donations. “Today, medical science can save lives more than ever before, but without human solidarity and blood donations, hospitals and their health workers cannot do their job of saving lives. Every donation counts,” he said.

The WHO also called on governments and health authorities to strengthen blood systems that promote voluntary donation, fair access and safe transfusion practices. In a statement, the agency said it stood with Pakistan and its health workforce in efforts to reinforce blood banks and implement standardised screening methods and protocols to ensure safe and sufficient blood supplies for all, regardless of location or social and economic status.

It added that reliable blood supplies are especially critical during emergencies, disasters and conflicts.