World Blood Donor Day 2020: Theme, significance and guidelines for blood donation

New Delhi: World Blood Donor Day is celebrated across the world on June 14 every year to raise awareness about safe blood donations and to thank those who voluntarily donate blood to save the lives of others.

The day is celebrated on June 14 to mark the birthday anniversary of scientist Karl Landsteiner who won the  Nobel Prize for his discovery of the ABO blood group system. 

Donating blood is not only a good cause but it also has some benefits on health. For example, donating blood can protect your heart as doing that at regular intervals can reduce the viscosity of your blood. Notably, increased viscosity can limit the blood flow to the heart and can cause organ failure or a heart attack. 

The other benefits include the reduction of bad cholesterol in your blood, regulates your blood pressure, and keeps iron level under control as too much iron accumulation can lead to a heart attack.

However, blood donation can be only if the person fits in certain criteria. Here are some general guidelines for people who want to donate blood:

- The Minimum hemoglobin needs to be 11 g/dl
- Minimum weight needed 110 lbs
- Age should be between 18 years to 65 years
- One should drink plenty of fluids before donating blood
- Their temperature should be normal, i.e. the person should not have any fever
- They need to provide their medical history to avoid the spread of any kind of infection among others.

Every year there is a theme made for the day and this year’s World Blood Donor Day theme is ''Safe blood saves lives'' with the tagline ''Give blood and make the world a healthier place''.

In the wake of coronavirus pandemic, the WHO will conduct a global virtual campaign this year with the objective to focus on the contribution an individual giver can make to improve health for others in the community.