Giving blood is a uniquely powerful act. As the theme of this year's World Blood Donor Day " Be there for someone else. Give blood. Share life"  emphasizes, giving blood is a simple way to save a life, at the same time as demonstrating the solidarity, altruism, empathy and kindness that most of us strive to practice each and every day.

Unlike other pharmaceutical products, blood has no substitute. From plasma to platelet, white cell to red, blood cannot be replicated or synthesized. The availability of blood and blood products is wholly dependent on the kindness of voluntary, non-remunerated donors person with no family affiliation and who give their time and blood out of a sense of civic responsibility, without monetary payment.

For a woman suffering birth complications, a child with severe anemia, a person requiring urgent surgery, or a population caught in a public health crisis, regular donors can be the difference between life and death; sickness and health.

Though giving blood may be a simple way to save a life, strengthening the systems that collect, process, disseminate, store and transfuse blood is also a potent means of fortifying health systems more generally.

Sri Rakshapal Sahu

President