Released on Friday ahead of World Blood Donor Day on June 14, the World Health Organization (WHO) report presents the most comprehensive assessment to date of blood systems worldwide. Compiled using data from 168 countries, representing 97% of the global population, the study reveals significant progress in blood donation and safety. Over 85% of global blood donations now come from voluntary, unpaid donors, recognized as the safest and most sustainable source.
Uneven Progress Highlights Disparities
While many nations have strengthened their national blood systems and expanded access to safe transfusions, shortages, weak governance, and insufficient funding continue to limit access in low- and middle-income countries. The WHO’s assessment, featured in the report’s foreword, states, “Access to adequate and safe blood and blood products, along with safe transfusion practices, is a fundamental component of resilient health systems and a critical enabler of universal health coverage. Despite remarkable progress over the last decade, universal access to safe blood and blood products remains a distant goal for many countries.”
Beyond Transfusions: Plasma’s Crucial Role
A reliable blood supply is vital for treating a wide range of medical conditions, including severe bleeding during childbirth, emergency surgeries, cancer treatments, chronic blood disorders, and severe anemia. Plasma, the liquid component of blood, is also used to manufacture medicines for individuals with bleeding disorders, immune deficiencies, and other serious conditions. In the absence of safe blood, patients can succumb to treatable diseases and injuries. The report examines every stage of the transfusion chain, from donor recruitment and collection to laboratory testing, clinical use, and access to plasma-derived medicines.
Ongoing Challenges in Governance and Supply Chains
The report identifies inadequate governance and unsustainable financing as major obstacles faced by national blood services in many countries. It also highlights ongoing efforts to diversify plasma collection and strengthen global supply chains for plasma-derived medicinal products, which remain inaccessible or unaffordable in many regions. The WHO emphasizes the need for sustained political commitment, stronger national systems, and continued international cooperation to ensure equitable access.
World Blood Donor Day: A Call for Solidarity
This year’s World Blood Donor Day campaign, themed “Give Blood, Give Plasma, Share Life, Share Often,” aims to encourage regular voluntary blood and plasma donations. The campaign underscores the values of solidarity, compassion, and shared responsibility that form the foundation of WHO’s global efforts to strengthen safe blood systems worldwide.
