World Blood Donor Message by WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, Saima Wazed
World Blood Donor Day, marked annually on 14 June, honours the silent heroes among us—voluntary, unpaid blood donors—whose simple yet powerful act of donating their blood saves countless lives each day. It is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Karl Landsteiner, who discovered the ABO blood group system.
It was first organised in 2004, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and our partners at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations, and the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT).
It is a vital moment to raise awareness of the critical and continuous need for safe blood and blood products for resilient national Health systems, and is being celebrated this year with the theme “Give blood, give hope: together we save lives.”
Blood transfusion is a cornerstone of effective healthcare and emergency response. From mothers experiencing complications during childbirth, to children suffering from severe anemia, to patients undergoing surgery or living with chronic blood disorders like thalassemia, haemophilia, and sickle-cell disease—blood saves lives. In crisis situations, such as natural disasters or conflict, timely access to safe blood is often the difference between life and death.
Despite this, far too many people—especially in low- and middle-income countries—still do not have access to safe and timely transfusion services.
Achieving universal access to safe blood requires strong national systems and, most importantly, a stable base of voluntary, unpaid donors who are willing to give blood regularly.
In our region, all our Member States have developed national blood policies aligned with WHO recommendations on blood safety. These policies advocate for nationally coordinated blood transfusion services based on 100% voluntary non-remunerated blood donations (VNRD), and adherence to national or internationally recognized blood standards. While all countries have made progress, levels of implementation admittedly vary across the Region.
Currently, nearly 50% of our Member States have achieved close to 100% VNRD coverage, contributing significantly to the blood supply required for national health systems. Across our region, approximately 82% of all donated blood is sourced from voluntary, unpaid donors, reflecting strong community engagement and donor motivation.
All blood collected in our region is screened for transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) and tested for the necessary serological parameters, in accordance with national policies and WHO guidelines. Further, the majority of our countries have established national External Quality Assessment Schemes (EQAS) for TTI testing and serology.
Haemovigilance systems—critical for monitoring and improving transfusion safety—are being established across most Member States, although the extent of implementation varies both between and within countries.
To strengthen capacities in our region, our Regional Office is coordinating the development of Sri Lanka’s National Blood Transfusion Services (a WHO Collaborating Centre) as a regional EQAS provider, in collaboration with the National Reference Laboratory, Australia (WHO Collaborating Centre)—a global provider of EQAS panels. This will improve sustainability and reduce the cost of EQAS panels for our Member States. In terms of blood component separation, more than 45% of the total collected blood is processed into components, supporting more efficient and targeted clinical use. SEARO is supporting the capacity building for the production of better quality plasma and Plasma-Derived Medicinal Products in the region through the revitalized Blood Achilles Project, implemented in collaboration with WHO, ISBT, and other technical partners.
I urge all governments, health authorities, and partners to renew their support for national blood transfusion programs through investments in infrastructure, workforce training, and public awareness efforts. Let us work together to create safe, inclusive, and sustainable systems that protect and empower both donors and recipients.
On World Blood Donor Day 2025, let us remember that each blood donation is not just a medical act—it is an act of compassion, commitment, and hope. It is a lifeline to someone, somewhere, who may never meet their donor, but whose life was touched forever.
To all our blood donors—thank you. Your generosity brings hope and healing. To those considering donating—now is the time. Together, we can save lives.
