The World Blood Donor Day is celebrated on Friday in Chisinau, Balti and Cahul and other localities, where volunteers donate blood to complete the blood bank of the Republic of Moldova. Similar events will take place during the month, and the Ministry of Health is counting on 15,000 donations, IPN reports.
Minister of Health Ala Nemerenco noted that the celebration of 20 years of blood donation underlines how important this voluntary gesture of many millions of donors in the world is to have a blood base and use it whenever necessary. Every year during this period, for a month, campaigns are organized to express gratitude to donors and to collect as much blood as possible so that each institution can intervene when necessary. The minister welcomed the involvement in blood donation of the armed forces and all the bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, students and volunteers, doctors and nurses.
According to Ala Nemerenco, blood donation actually emphasizes how great the people can be, how generous they can be, what important things they can do when they are together. Blood donation saves lives, decreases the indicators of maternal mortality and prenatal mortality, saves people involved in terrible road accidents.
Every year, 10,000 blood collections take place in the country during these days, which is a lot. The goal is to reach the figure of 15,000 collections this year.
Coordinator of health programs at WHO Moldova Alexandru Voloc noted that each of us carries a remedy that costs us nothing to give it to others, and one unit of blood saves three human lives. “This must guide us in altruistic aspirations, and donation is the first thing that most can do,” said Alexandru Voloc. In his opinion, permanent donors are a treasure for society and for the medical system.
Acting Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Moldova, Jeff Bryan, said that blood transfusion plays an essential role in all health care systems. It saves patients with life-threatening conditions and helps people have a better quality of life. Through the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, the U.S. has provided $5.3 million to the WHO Country Office in Moldova to support its work since the launch of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Silvia Roșca, deputy director of the National Blood Transfusion Center, noted that this day is a good opportunity to pay tribute and express gratitude to blood donors. “We bow to you for what you do for the health system,” she stated.
During the event, the most active volunteer blood donors received diplomas and cups as a sign of appreciation.
A person can donate 450 milliliters of blood for four to five times a year, at an interval of at least two months. Blood is collected from healthy people, who are from 18 to 60 years old, and the procedure takes about ten minutes.
