Every year, on 14 June, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day. The event serves to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood and to raise awareness of the need for regular blood donations to ensure the quality, safety and availability of blood and blood products for patients in need. Safe blood is a life-saver. One out of every 3 people in the world will require blood transfusions and blood products. This year’s campaign will focus on blood donation in emergencies. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and storms create considerable needs for emergency health care, while at the same time, often destroying vital health facilities as well. A blood service that gives patients access to safe blood and blood products in sufficient quantity is a key component of an effective health system.

Ensuring safe and sufficient blood supplies requires the development of a nationally coordinated blood transfusion service based on voluntary non-remunerated blood donations. However, in many countries, blood services face the challenge of making sufficient blood available, while also ensuring its quality and safety. The theme of this year's World Blood Donor Day is "Give blood. Give now. Give often." It focuses on thanking blood donors and highlights the dimension of "sharing" and "connection" between blood donors and patients and creates wider public awareness of the need for regular, unpaid blood donation, and inspires those who have not yet donated blood to start donating, particularly young people in good health.