Donated blood can save lives, awareness-raising campaign

The Center for Health Polices and Studies (PAS Center) is launching an awareness-raising campaign on voluntary blood donation ttitled “Give a drop of life!”, Info-Prim Neo reports The campaign is carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and the National Blood Transfusion Center. It will last for three months and will include broadcasting of thematic ads and distribution of informational materials through medical institutions and nongovernmental organizations, the PAS Center’s head Viorel Soltan said in a news conference. The number of voluntary donors in Moldova is on the rise. In 2005, about 7,000 persons donated blood voluntarily. This is 13% of the total number of donors. In the first nine months of this year, the figure rose to about 13,000 or 27.2% of the total, said the head of the National Blood Transfusion Center Svetlana Cibotari. The persons who donate blood must meet several conditions, including be aged between 18 and 60, weigh at least 50 kilograms and not be infected with viral hepatitis or another hemotransmissible disease. In 2009, there were recorded 81,000 donors, while in the first ten months of 2010 – 75,000. The campaign forms part of the Prevention of Viral Hepatites B and C in Moldova Project that is financed by the Japan Social Development Fund through the World Bank. The project is implemented by the PAS Center.