This year the WHO is calling on countries to make safe blood accessible to save the lives of mothers.
According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report titled ‘Safe blood for saving mothers’, at least 800 women die daily all over the world during childbirth and one of the most prominent causes is blood loss and a corresponding shortage of blood. This was shared by Hamza Foundation Founder and Chairman Ijaz Ali Khan at a news conference on World Blood Donor Day 2014 in Peshawar Press Club on Saturday.
This year the WHO is calling on countries to make safe blood accessible to save the lives of mothers.
“All students who donate blood should be awarded 10 marks in their exams for donating blood during the academic year,” was Khan’s suggestion for the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government. He believed such measures encourage people to donate blood.
A similar process is already in place in prisons where inmates’ sentences are commuted by one month if they donate blood, he added.
In Pakistan 70% of donated blood is administered to patients of Thalassemia. The remaining 30% are used for pregnant women and emergency cases, shared the founder.
Currently, Pakistan needs 2.6 million blood bags annually and fulfils 25% of this requirement from voluntary donors, “We need to take this to 100%,” said Khan.
‘You’ll take how much blood?’
“A healthy person has roughly 5,000-6,000 millilitres (ml) of blood and can easily donate 450ml without any adverse effect; the volume is recovered within 36 hours by the body,” he explained.
Talking about the benefits of donation, Khan said donating blood can held decrease cholesterol levels which in turn can minimise the risk of a heart attack. It can also help maintain blood pressure, he added.
Also present in support of the day, 51-year-old physical educationalist Arbab Fawad of Peshawar said he has donated blood at least 44 times in his life and he feels “fit”. He challenged the youth to come and compete with him in any sporting event.
Professor donates blood for 110th time
College professor Naguman Sabih Ahmad donated blood for the 110th time on Friday.
Ahmad told The Express Tribune he first donated blood in 1985 and is a registered donor with Duaa Welfare Organisation for the past six years.
Ahmad said his eldest son, 26-year-old Ali Ahmed, has also donated blood 40 times. The younger son, 22-year-old Arifeen Ahmed, has done so eight times, while his wife has donated blood 26 times.
“I believe blood should be available free of cost to patients who need it and that is only possible when people make periodical donations,” said Ahmad.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 15th, 2014.
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