The birthday of Karl Landsteiner, 14th of June, is observed as World Blood Donor Day. Landsteiner won the Nobel prize for his discovery of the ABO blood group system.
In developing countries there is a continuous shortage of blood. Patients usually receive blood from a relation or friend or a paid donor when in need. Paid donor blood is less safe than blood from voluntary donors.
World Blood Donor Day hopes to encourage voluntary blood donation, to increase awareness of blood safety and to thank people who have donated blood.
Major organisations that encourage voluntary blood donation like the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations and the International Society of Blood Transfusion authorise this observance. These organizations have been joined by the World Health Organization, which is co-sponsoring the event. Between them, they represent 192 Member States, 181 national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 50 national voluntary blood donor organizations and blood transfusion specialists throughout the world.
Blood donation hardly makes a difference in terms of health to the donor, but it can help save the life of a patient.
Details on Blood Donation
In 1987 the United Nations General Assembly decided to observe 26th June as the International Day against Drug
Abuse and Illicit Trafficking to show its concern for this cause. This lead to a conference in which multi disciplinary methods
were adopted to work for this cause.
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The theme for International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2004 : Treatment Works
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