Belize celebrates World Blood Donor Day

By Zoila Palma: Each year, on June 14, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) celebrates World Blood Donor Day to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products for transfusion and the critical contribution voluntary, unpaid blood donors make to the health system.

The theme this year is “Give blood and keep the world beating”.

“Safe blood and blood products and their transfusion are a critical aspect of health. Blood donors save millions of lives globally and the need for blood is a universal one. To ensure that everyone who needs safe blood has access to it, countries like Belize need voluntary, unpaid donors who give blood regularly,” said Dr. Noreen Jack, PAHO/WHO Representative in Belize.

This year’s campaign focuses on the role young people have in ensuring a safe blood supply.

Young people form a large sector of the population in many societies, and it is important to engage them to become life-long voluntary blood donors, and to be committed to living a healthy life so they can continue to carry out the role of being a blood donor.

 “For every person who donates blood, three lives are touched and changed. They receive the gift of love by receiving the donated blood that can make the difference between life or death,” Dra. Gerhaldine Morazán, Director of Medical Laboratory Service of the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW).

Despite the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, many blood donors across the world have continued to donate blood and plasma to patients who need a transfusion.

“On World Blood Donor Day, we hail the heroism of these donors who generously give a part of themselves to save the lives of others,” the Ministry of Health and Wellness noted.

Blood drives are being held across the country.

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