World Blood Donor Day 2023

Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often.

14 JUNE 2023

The slogan for the 2023 World Blood Donor Day campaign is “Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often.” It focuses on patients requiring life-long transfusion support and underlines the role every single person can play, by giving the valuable gift of blood or plasma. It also highlights the importance of voluntarily giving blood or plasma regularly to create a safe and sustainable supply of blood and blood products that can be always available, all over the world, so that all patients in need can receive timely treatment.

Dr Jarbas Barbosa Director of PAHO - Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often

The need for blood is universal, but access to blood is not. Blood shortages are acute in low- and middle-income countries.

Every single blood or plasma donation is a precious lifesaving gift and regular voluntary unpaid donation is the key to building a safe and sustainable blood supply. Access to a secure blood supply based on the voluntary unpaid donation is vital for all patients including many requiring life-long and regular transfusions for conditions such as sickle-cell anaemia and thalassaemia. Voluntary unpaid plasma donations also play an important part in supporting patients with a wide range of long-term conditions such as haemophilia and immune deficiencies.

However, in many countries, blood services face the challenge of making sufficient blood available, while also ensuring its quality and safety. Lack access to safe blood and blood products – especially in low- and middle-income countries, impacts on all patients, including those requiring regular transfusion. In many countries, there is also a need to increase the plasma donations to make sufficient plasma protein products available for patients. One of WHO strategies is to assist low- and middle-income countries in the world in improving the availability and quality of human plasma, including optimising the utilisation of the plasma recovered from whole blood donations, and increasing patients’ access to the life-saving plasma protein therapies.

On 14 June 2023, World Blood Donor Day will again be celebrated throughout the world. Officially designated as an annual event by the World Health Assembly in 2005, the Day provides a special opportunity to celebrate and thank voluntary blood donors around the world for their gift of blood and has become a major focus for action towards achieving universal access to safe blood transfusion.

Key Messages

La necesidad de sangre es universal; el acceso a la sangre, no. La escasez de sangre es más acuciante en los países de ingresos bajos y medianos.
Las donaciones periódicas de sangre son necesarias en todo el mundo para garantizar que las personas y las comunidades dispongan de sangre y productos sanguíneos seguros y de calidad garantizada.
Cada donación de sangre o plasma es un regalo precioso que salva vidas; la donación periódica es la clave para disponer de un suministro seguro y sostenible.
Una amplia participación de la población en las donaciones periódicas de sangre y plasma garantiza que todos puedan disponer de sangre y proteínas plasmáticas cuando las necesiten.
Los donantes de sangre y plasma proporcionan en su conjunto una valiosa protección para los pacientes y las comunidades.
Garantizar la seguridad y el bienestar de los donantes de sangre y plasma es fundamental; facilita que se comprometan a efectuar donaciones periódicamente.
Un agradecimiento especial a los donantes de sangre y plasma en nombre de las personas que necesitan transfusiones de por vida o tratamientos con proteínas plasmáticas. Vivimos porque tú das. ¡Muchas gracias!
Dona sangre, dona plasma, comparte la vida, compártela frecuentemente.