This week, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners celebrate World Blood Donor Day, the theme of which is “Every blood donor is a hero”. World Blood Donor Day is being commemorated this year while the world increasingly suffers from a shortage of blood supplies in hospitals and clinics. Out of the 80 countries where blood donation rates are less than 10 donations to every 1000 people, 79 are developing countries.

World Blood Donor Day aims to encourage more people to donate blood and identify methods for health systems and policy-makers to ensure blood transfusion services are safer and available to the global population.