Safe Blood Starts with Me - libdoc.who.int - World Health Organization

pressure. The Bahrain DiabetesSociety also took the opportunityto offer diabetes tests and carryout awareness building among thepublic.Honours for festivalpromoters and participantsThe Assistant Under-Secretary forPrimary and Public Health, DrAbdulwahab MohammedAbdulwahab andthe Chief ofNot oneperson woulddispute thevitalrelationshipbetween bloodand healthMedical Stafffor PrimaryCare, Dr FawziAmin, presentedhonours topeople whomade WorldHealth Day sucha success.Those honoured included students,teachers, schools, societies, themedia, companies, healthpersonnel and other individuals.The ceremony was organized bythe health education directorate topass a special message of thanksto all who supported the day’scelebration from the HealthMinister and Under-Secretary forHealth. Dr Abdulwahab said thatthe support from outside thehealth and medicine field was animportant asset and key to thesuccess of any health strategy. “Ithelps reinforce the close tiesbetween the health sector and thepublic” he continued. This joininghandswas also testimony to acooperative society that is wellaware of the need for sharedresponsibility and solidrelationships between the publicand private sectors.Not one person would dispute thevital relationship between bloodand health. “Our role to providenecessary health services to thepeople is a crucial strategy forBahrain’s leadership, which hasleft no stone unturned to achievethe plans and programmes of thehealth ministry” added Dr AlMousawi.New drive aims at safeblood donationThe nursing community in Bahrainmade a concerted effort toincrease people’s awareness ofsafe andBahrain’sleadership hasleft no stoneunturned toachieve theplans andprogrammesof the healthministryvoluntaryblooddonation.BahrainNursingSocietyPresident,BeemaSultan, saidthe worldrelied onsafe bloodto save people’s lives, yet sadlyonly 20 to 30 per cent of healthsystems around the world providethe necessary facilities for a safeand adequate blood supply.At the beginning of this newmillenium, said Ms Sultan, we as asociety would like to emphasizethe importance of managing bloodproperly. People need to know thevalue of safeguarding their healthand the precious life source whichis our blood. Good nutrition, ahealthy lifestyle and properprevention and early treatment ofdiseases will contribute to healthyblood. The BNS reaffirmed itscommitment to the community onthe occasion of World Health Day,and made a tremendous effort topromote public awareness of safeblood donation. These efforts, saidMs Sultan, should be promotedright from primary schools todevelop a positive attitudetowards voluntary and nonremuneratedblood donation.Special appreciation was given bythe BNS to the blood donors inBahrain who receive noremuneration for this altruisticact. But many more such donorsare needed to fulfil ourrequirements for blood. Dr AmalAl Jowder, Head of the HealthEducation Department in theMinistry of Health, said that manypeople all over the world are indesperate need of blood every day,especially those with thalassemiawho need blood regularly, and inemergency operations.51 ▲ WORLD HEALTH DAY ▼ SAFE BLOOD STARTS WITH ME