World Blood Donor Day 2019

Every year, a host country is chosen to celebrate National Blood Donation Day.

World Blood Donor Day 2019 will be held in Rwanda.

The World Blood Donor Day 2019 slogan is ‘Safe blood for all‘.

The theme for World Blood Donation Day 2019 is “Blood donation and universal access to safe blood transfusion”.

History of World Blood Donation Day

14th June is also the birth anniversary of the Karl Landsteiner who won the Nobel Prize for his discovery of the ABO blood group system.

The celebration of the event first started in the year 2004aiming to raise public awareness by the World Health Organization, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

World Blood Donor Day was officially established by the WHO with its 192 member states at the 58^th World Health Assembly in May 2005.

Themes of World Blood Donor Day

Read below the year wise themes of World Blood Donor Day from 2012 to 2018.

Year	Theme
2019	Blood donation and universal access to safe blood transfusion
2018	Be there for Someone Else, Give Blood, Share Life
2017	Give Blood, Give Now, Give Often
2016	Blood Connects us All
2015	Thank you for Saving my Life
2014	Safe Blood for Saving Mothers
2013	Give the Gift of Life, Donate Blood
2012	Every Blood Donor is a Hero

Must Know Facts About Blood Transfusion

• People with Type O – blood are considered universal donors because it has neither A nor B surface antigens on the red blood cells.
• People with Type AB+ blood is considered to be universal recipient as it has both antigens A & B.
• Most of the time a transfusion is not a “whole blood” transfusion, rather certain blood products, with RBC being the most common.
• A donor, must ensure that that his/her age is between 18 – 65 years and weight is more than 45 kgs.
• After blood donation, the blood is tested for various parameters like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, malaria and HIV (type 1 and 2).