The World Health Organisation has urged citizens across Africa to become regular voluntary blood donors, warning that persistent shortages continue to threaten lives in hospitals and clinics and undermine essential healthcare services regionwide.

Mohamed Janabi, WHO’s regional director for Africa, made the appeal in a message commemorating World Blood Donor Day, observed annually on June 14, themed ‘One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives’.

Mr Janabi, in a statement on Wednesday, restated the importance of maintaining adequate blood supplies, saying that “safe blood is not a luxury, it is a lifeline” for millions requiring urgent medical care.

According to him, thousands of mothers, children, trauma victims and patients living with chronic illnesses rely on blood transfusions daily, making access to safe blood a critical component of effective healthcare delivery.

“For them, access to safe blood means the difference between life and death,” he said, emphasising the vital role blood donations played in saving lives and supporting health systems across Africa.

Mr Janabi said that although blood donations increased from 2.2 million in the early 2000s to nearly seven million in 2023, the region still recorded only about six donations per 1,000 people.

He said the figure remained significantly below levels required to meet basic healthcare needs, leaving many health systems struggling to provide routine services and emergency care during crises and disasters.

According to him, this year’s theme directly addresses the challenge, as every donation reflects solidarity and shared responsibility, while only regular voluntary donors can help bridge the persistent blood supply gap.

“The consequences of shortage are immediate,” Janabi said.

He warned that inadequate blood supplies could have severe effects on healthcare delivery and patient outcomes across communities and healthcare facilities regionwide.

“Surgical delays, postponed cancer treatment, and preventable maternal deaths occur when blood is unavailable,” he said.

He highlighted the direct consequences that shortages had on patients requiring urgent and lifesaving medical interventions.

“No health system can deliver Universal Health Coverage without a secure blood supply,” he added, emphasising that reliable blood services remained fundamental to achieving equitable and sustainable healthcare access for all.

Mr Janabi called on governments across Africa to treat blood services as a health security priority and strengthen systems that ensured safe, sufficient and accessible blood supplies nationwide.

“We need sustained investment, modern infrastructure, and strict quality standards so every unit collected is safe, available, and used appropriately,” he said while advocating for a stronger national commitment to blood services.

According to him, WHO remains committed to supporting member states through policy guidance, regulatory strengthening, quality assurance mechanisms and workforce training aimed at improving blood safety and service delivery.

(NAN)