WHO launches safe blood drive
Thursday, 14 Jun 2007 10:38
Unsafe blood in the developing world poses a serious risk
A new initiative to improve the availability and use of safe blood to save the lives of women before and after childbirth has been launched today by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Data collected by WHO from 172 countries released to coincide with the initiative reveals that more than 500,000 women worldwide die each year during pregnancy, childbirth or in the postpartum period – 99 per cent of which are from the developing world.
About a quarter of these deaths are caused by severe bleeding during childbirth, which, WHO claims, make this the most common cause of maternal mortality.
Women in developing countries receiving blood transfusions are at risk of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections through unsafe blood.
"If current trends continue, the world will fail to meet target five of the Millennium Development Goals to reduce maternal mortality," said WHO director-general Dr Margaret Chan.
"We must do everything we can to improve the chances of women during and after childbirth."
The Global Initiative on Safe Blood for Safe Motherhood launched today aims to improve access to safe blood to manage pregnancy-related complications.
These include assessment of the need for transfusion and safe blood transfusion given only when really required.
To do this, WHO will strengthen the capacity of blood banks and district hospitals and train clinicians, nurses, technicians and other key health personnel at district level facilities through its regional networks across the world.