World Health Day 2000 will deal with an important issue of high priority to the Director General, namely blood safety. The Day will serve as a launch for a long-term advocacy programme; activities and resources will be used well beyond the 7th April, in line with a long-term WHO blood safety strategy.

The Day will also provide the opportunity for the WHO to put into practice its new commitment to developing partnerships. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (The Federation) has been invited to participate as a primary partner in this programme. It is expected that this partnership will be developed over the long term together with other important partners related directly to blood safety such as The International Society for Blood Trans fusion, Haemophiliac Associations and Thalasemia Associations. Those broad health organizations, which take an active interest and participate in World Health Day each year (irrespective of the subject), will also join in this initiative.

World Health Day will be taken as an opportunity to highlight the broad concerns of blood safety. The interrelation between blood safety and maternal/child health, malaria, injection safety, trauma, HIV/AIDS and waste management will all be further explored.

The Regional and Country Offices

As World Health Day is primarily about WHO Member States reaffirming their commitment to health, the role of the Regional and Country Offices will be key to ensuring the success of the Day. Previous World Health Days which proved particularly successful highlighted the importance of interesting and participatory activities carried out at both grass roots and national level.

A steering group has been established to oversee the work. This group involves technical support from the department of BCT, Regional Offices (by email and video conferencing), focal points from different WHO clusters, The Federation, UNAIDS, and other partners.

'Defining' Blood Safety

The basic requirements for a safe and adequate blood supply are: 

commitment and support of National Health Authorities;  organization, management and infrastructure for a sustainable blood transfusion service; safe blood donors, testing and processing of blood, access to blood products; and appropriate use of blood.

The major aspects are set out in WHA Resolution 28.72 adopted in 1975. WHO activities on blood safety are based on this and it will serve as the basis for World Health Day messages and activities. The Resolution urges Member States (emphasis added): 

to promote the development of national blood services based on voluntary non-remunerated donations of blood

 to enact effective legislation governing the operation of blood services and to take other actions necessary to protect and promote the health of blood donors and of recipients of blood and blood products    

 World Health Day will be taken as an opportunity to highlight the chain of requirements for blood safety. It will provide an opportunity for recognition and thanks to blood donors. However, the main message of the Day will be to emphasis the broader aspects, from political commitment to appropriate use of blood by clinicians and those prescribing blood. This chain is outlined in the key messages below.

Slogan

"Safe blood starts with me" with the subtext "Blood saves lives"

Objectives

To raise awareness of blood safety issues globally

To encourage Member Sates to commit to and support national blood programmes and implement national blood legislation or a legal framework for a national blood programme to ensure the provision of safe blood

To promote and retain donations from voluntary (altruistic), non-remunerated blood donors from low risk populations

 Expected Outcomes

 Expected Outcomes

To achieve political commitment and support in 80 % of countries to approve and implement national policies and plans on blood safety within 5 years.

To increase general public awareness and understanding of blood safety and promote voluntary non-remunerated blood donations from low risk populations (concept of altruistic donation)

To increase awareness among health professionals as to the importance of blood safety and their role in supporting blood safety (improved awareness of safety and appropriate clinical use of blood, minimizing unnecessary use of blood)

 Key messages

 Positive health impact of safe blood

Need for more safe blood donations

Effective and appropriate measures to prevent the transmission of blood-borne diseases and conditions

Safe and appropriate clinical use of blood and blood products

 Target audience

General Public and Blood Donors

 Ministries of Health/Health Authorities

Blood Programmes

Clinicians and those prescribing

Links across WHO programmes

The theme of blood safety relates to a wide variety of WHO activities outside the direct work of the department of Blood Safety and Clinical Technology. Regional Offices and Headquarter's Programmes are being invited to input into the development of messages and activities. Focal Points have been identified in all Regions and HQ Clusters.

Reaching the Targets

In order to ensure broad awareness of World Health Day, a twofold approach will be taken involving in-country activities as well as a broad media campaign. A Communications specialist will provide support in defining a communications campaign. In addition to the information package, full use will be made of modern communications systems, such as the Internet.  http://w3.whosea.org/EN/Section260/Section600/Section601.htm#Links

Perhaps this is one reason that there are so many changes in the blood policies of Jehovah's Witnesses.  One minute JWs are attempting to serve the Watchtower's doctrines, and the next minute they are attending a WHO Congress where they will get the actual facts.  Anyway you look at it, attending a political birthday celebration that is held annually is taking part in the world, and conduct unbecoming to put it in the Watchtower Society's words.  But then again, we have known for many years that the Watchtower Society does not obey the same laws it requires of its members!

You can not serve two masters.  So while the Watchtower takes its time making up its mind as to its next blood policy change, in the meantime, people are dying!