Today, June 14, various events are being held in many countries around the world to mark World Blood Donor Day. The event was established by the United Nations in 2005. The date was not chosen by chance: it was on June 14, 1868, that Karl Landsteiner, an Austrian immunologist and Nobel Prize winner for the discovery of blood groups, was born, UNN reports.
World Blood Donor Day: Why June 14
Every year on June 14, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day. This event aims to draw public attention to the global need for safe blood and its components or products, and to express gratitude to blood donors for donating blood and helping to save lives.
In 2005, the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution establishing World Donor Day. June 14 is a day chosen for a reason. It was on June 14, 1868, that Karl Landsteiner, the 1930 Nobel Prize winner, Austrian physician, and immunologist who discovered human blood groups, was born.
What is celebrated on June 14 in Ukraine and the world14.06.26, 06:00
The situation with blood donation in Ukraine
As Iryna Slavinska, CEO of the NGO "All-Ukrainian Association for the Development of Blood Donation 'Donor.UA'", told UNN in a comment, all countries in the world face challenges in attracting blood donors. Developed nations address this issue through significant investments in the development of the donor movement, communication campaigns, etc.
The lack of donor blood in Ukraine, unfortunately, has always been solved by the patients themselves who need it, their relatives, or acquaintances. That is, the blood shortage existed long before the full-scale war – for years, the system operated with a lower level of supply than recommended by international standards. After the start of the full-scale war, the need for donor blood increased significantly – by at least 60%. At the same time, oncology, surgery, obstetrics, and many other areas of medicine require blood every day, regardless of the events at the front,
However, according to her, the main problem lies not only in the number of people who come to donate, but in the lack of regularity. Most Ukrainians donate blood sporadically, often only once, while the stability of the system is ensured by those donors who return again and again.
The most acute problem with blood shortages is in frontline regions
Slavinska noted that the need for blood is not uniform and changes almost weekly depending on the workload of specific hospitals and regions. The most acute need usually arises in frontline areas and in regions where wounded military personnel are brought.
In our activities, we emphasize the importance of forming a uniform base of regular donors across the country so that the system does not depend on isolated spikes of activity in individual cities. The need for blood changes depending on the situation in specific hospitals and regions, but traditionally it is highest in frontline areas and large medical centers that receive a significant number of patients,
"Common blood group is always sufficient" is a myth
She emphasizes that the most universal and therefore particularly in-demand is the first blood group with a negative Rh factor – 0(I) Rh−, which can be used for transfusions in emergency cases.
At the same time, the need for specific blood groups is constantly changing.
That is why we urge people to donate blood regardless of group or Rh factor – the blood system needs all blood groups and all Rh factors. If you think your group is in abundance because it is common – that is a mistake,
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Number of blood donors in Ukraine
Currently, Ukraine does not have a single state register of donors that would allow seeing the exact number of active donors nationwide. Therefore, according to Slavinska, the implementation of the "eBlood" (yeKrov) system is important – a digital tool that will allow tracking the path of blood from donor to patient, as well as increasing control over the quality, safety, and accessibility of blood components. The Ministry of Health of Ukraine has been working on implementing this functionality since 2023.
For the stable operation of the blood system, Ukraine needs about 1 million regular donors. We are systematically working on increasing this number. As of June 2024, more than 220,000 donors are registered on the DonorUA platform. This is an active community of people who receive notifications about planned donations, can sign up for events, and respond to the needs of specific patients,
The biggest challenge is short-term spikes in donor activity
The co-founder of the NGO emphasizes that the dynamics regarding blood donation remain uneven.
High-profile events, emergencies, and news hooks traditionally cause short-term spikes in activity, followed by a decline. This "waviness" is one of the main challenges for the blood system, as it complicates stock planning. It is no coincidence that one of the key messages of our campaigns is "Donation is the base." We want donation to become as common a part of a responsible attitude for society as volunteering or charity. World Blood Donor Day is a good occasion to draw attention to the topic, but the blood system does not live from date to date. This is exactly what we emphasize in our all-Ukrainian flash mob "Donation is the base": it is important not just to come once, but to return regularly,
How to become a donor
She specifies that a donor can be a citizen of Ukraine, as well as a foreigner with a permanent residence permit in Ukraine, aged 18 and over and weighing at least 50 kg.
Before each donation, a person at the collection site undergoes a preliminary examination where their blood group is determined and their health status (blood pressure, hemoglobin level) is checked. A doctor assesses the presence of possible contraindications and makes a decision regarding admission to donation.
There are absolute and temporary contraindications. Permanent ones include, in particular, HIV, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis, oncological diseases and blood diseases, and a number of other serious chronic conditions. Temporary contraindications are, for example, the period after a cold, certain vaccinations, tattoos, or dental interventions, when it is necessary to wait a specified time. The full list of contraindications is approved by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine,
According to her, the easiest way to start is to register on the DonorUA platform, sign up for the nearest donation in your city, and receive notifications about current blood needs.
Ministry of Health explained to Ukrainians how to donate blood and become a donor12.06.26, 09:38