By Amaka Madu
World Blood Donor Day is celebrated on 14 June every year to create awareness about blood donation and urge people to donate blood regularly for humanity. Donating blood is a simple and harmless act that can save someone’s life. World Blood Donor Day is a day dedicated to making an appeal to everyone to donate blood and save lives.
World Blood Donor Day was first organized in 2005. It was a joint initiative by the Red Crescent Societies, the World Health Organization, and the International Federation of Red Cross to raise awareness about the need for safe blood and blood products. Blood Donor Day also celebrates and appreciates blood donors for their voluntary blood donations.
The theme of World Blood Donor Day 2023 is “Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often.” According to the World Health Organization, this year’s theme focuses on spreading the message of donating plasma and blood to save lives far and wide. World Blood Donor Day 2023 theme also highlights the role of a common person in helping save lives.
Every year, the World Health Organization announces a new theme on World Blood Donor Day. The celebrations and events hosted by organizations revolve around the same theme.
The importance of donating blood is not only to save the lives of thousands of people who are deprived of life, but also to save the lives of many more who are affected by various diseases and help them to fight numerous illnesses.
It has also been seen that when people have donated their blood, they have gained many health benefits. Most of the people who donate their blood tend to recover fast from their diseases and even live a longer life, it also helps in weight loss, in maintaining healthy liver and iron level, reducing risk of heart and cancer.
Blood Donor Day encourages people to donate blood regularly for humanity.
In reaction to this year’s World Blood Donor Day and it’s benefits a medical consultant at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Medical Center, Dr Patrick Ezeno said that donation of blood is a safe process in all environment and it is legal for people between the age of 18 to 65 years who are naturally healthy and strong to donate blood.
He stated that there are many advantages to the blood donor.He is happy that he is doing God’s work and apart from mental health of giving blood to another, before he donates blood he will be screened and thereby knowing his or her status.
He further reiterated that donating blood also help the donor to reduce iron overload condition called hemochromatosis
which affects the organs of the body.
On her part a senior nursing officer with UNIZIK medical center Lady Onyinye Enwerekowe said donating a pint of blood does not have adverse effects if safety and proper precautions of blood donation are adhered to.
She mentioned some temporary reactions that those who donates blood can experience including weakness, dizziness,light headache and fainting sensation and adviced life savers not to donate more than a pint of blood at one time.
In her reaction on this year’s theme,a nurse with government owned hospital, Mrs Juliet Obiajulu encouraged World savers to keep it up emphasized that to give what constitutes a person is not easy, that blood is what makes a person.
She generally adviced persons who could come to Facility that they are asked, they might need blood, they should not see it as the end of life but see it as a procedure that is targeted towards saving life.
As we celebrate world blood donor day, donate blood and save life
