June 14 is the fourth World Blood Donor Day, the theme of this year is “Safe Blood for Safe Motherhood”.

According to the statistics of World Health Organization, more than 500,000 women died every year from the complications developed during the period of pregnancy and parturition. Massive hemorrhage in delivery is the most common cause for the death of pregnant women in developing countries, of which one-fourth can be saved through blood transfusion. Therefore, safe blood, which is mainly acquired through the donation from those good-hearted voluntary blood donors, plays a critical role in saving the lives of thousands of mothers and infants.

Since Blood Donation Act was promulgated in 1998, the cause of voluntary blood donation in Beijing has been undergoing constant and healthy development. The number of residents participating in voluntary blood donation has risen from 1800 person-time in 1998 (accounting for less than 1% of the total blood donation amount in that year) to 43.7 thousand person-time in 2006 (accounting for 99.5% of the total blood donation amount in the same year). It has not only secured an annual supply of dozens of tons of blood for more than one hundred hospitals in Beijing to meet their clinical demands, but also guaranteed the donated blood and its safe transfusion in the first place. According to the statistics in the first half of 2007, blood collection and supply are generally balanced.

There are two methods of blood donation, that is, whole blood donation and blood component donation. Most residents have no exact knowledge of blood component donation. The following is related introduction:

Blood consists of plasma and various visible components, such as red cells, platelets and so on. To provide the patient with the blood components lacked in his or her blood is the most effective and economic method. Therefore, we encourage that blood composition donation should be adopted in clinical treatment. Whole blood donation refers to the donation of 200 ml or 400 ml blood at one time, while blood component donation refers to the donation of certain blood components. So far, the most common blood component donation is platelet donation. Both methods are harmless to human health. Platelet donation, which usually takes 40 minutes to 1 hour, costs more time than whole blood donation. Moreover, platelet donation is subject to such factors as location and environment, and so far can only be conducted at blood collection center or central blood station.

Now, another blistering summer is initiated during which outdoor activities decrease and the holiday for college students is at hand, street voluntary blood donation is also going to have a “low season”. Here, I want to appeal to all residents at the appropriate ages to actively participate in voluntary blood donation to give a hand to those patients in need of blood.

      In order to make it convenient for residents to understand and participate in voluntary blood donation, Beijing Blood Donation Office and Beijing Red Cross Blood Center have established a blood donation enquiry hotline: 62031992 (8:00—22:00 everyday).