Safe blood supply improves as voluntary donations exceed 85%, but access gaps remain

New data from the World Health Organization (WHO) show sustained progress towards safer blood supplies globally, while highlighting persistent inequalities in access and weaknesses in governance, financing and regulation of blood systems, according to a press release by WHO. Data collected from 132 countries reveal that global blood collections increased by nearly 19% between 2013 and 2023. Voluntary, unpaid donors accounted for over 85% of the estimated 120 million blood donations received in 2023. The findings were released ahead of World Blood Donor Day, observed annually on 14 June. They underscore that many patients still lack reliable access to life-saving transfusions, particularly in lower-income countries.

Patients affected include women experiencing life-threatening bleeding during childbirth, children with severe anaemia, and trauma or burn victims. Others include patients undergoing surgery and people living with sickle-cell disease, thalassaemia, haemophilia, immune deficiencies and certain cancers. High-income countries, home to just 15% of the global population, collect 36% of all blood donations worldwide. Many lower-income countries continue to face shortages due to limited financing, weak infrastructure, logistical barriers and insufficient donor recruitment. Donation rates range from 0.4 to 53 per 1000 population across countries.

Twenty-four countries reported collecting fewer than 5 blood donations per 1000 population, reflecting severe constraints in delivering timely transfusions. The share of blood collected from voluntary, unpaid donors also varies by income level. In high-income countries, such donations account for 98.4% of all blood donations. In low-income countries, the figure falls to 63.4%, where health systems often struggle to maintain reliable supplies. WHO analysis shows that nearly one-third of countries still lack specific legislation to ensure the safety and quality of blood and blood products.

Only 64% of countries report systems for regular inspection of blood services, 62% have licensing systems, and just 40% indicate that at least some transfusion services are accredited. More than 1 in 7 countries reported having neither dedicated government budget allocations nor cost-recovery mechanisms for blood services.

“No one should die because safe blood is unavailable when it is needed,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

He noted that the data show encouraging progress, particularly in the growing contribution of voluntary unpaid donors. He also stressed that where a person lives can still determine whether they have access to needed transfusions.

WHO calls on countries and partners to strengthen governance and regulation of blood services and ensure sustainable financing. It also urges expanding quality assurance programmes, improving clinical transfusion practices, and strengthening surveillance and data systems. This year’s World Blood Donor Day campaign carries the slogan “One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives.” The campaign recognizes voluntary unpaid donors and highlights how each donation supports patients, strengthens communities and contributes to resilient health systems. WHO maintains that these measures are essential to ensuring universal access to safe, effective and quality-assured blood and blood products.