Blood Donation Campaign

In its resolution WPR/RC37.R15, the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific of the World Health Organization, at its thirty-seventh session, emphasizes:
“Having examined the report of the regional director on blood and blood products;
recalling resolution WHA28.72 on blood and blood products;
recognizing the shortage of technical personnel, supplies and equipment suffered by a number of countries in the field of blood transfusion;
aware of the increasing demand for blood and blood products in the region, including the collection of human plasma through plasmapheresis;
concerned that blood and blood products may present a risk of transmission of certain diseases;
(…) urges Member States:
- to make all possible efforts to develop and improve their blood transfusion services at all levels, under the responsibility of government authorities;
- take measures to protect the health of blood donors and recipients by appropriate methods;
- to intensify their efforts to improve practices in the preparation of blood and blood products, with particular reference to the guidelines for the collection, processing and quality control of human blood and blood products formulated by the WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardization in 1978 in an annex to its report;
- to observe the ethical principles governing blood donation and transfusion.
Requests the Regional Director to provide technical support to Member States in their efforts to improve national blood transfusion services, emphasizing:
- on the introduction of examinations of blood donors and controls of blood collected;
- on the establishment of quality assurance programs for blood transfusion and blood products in the region.”