Islamabad, 23 June 2025 – On World Blood Donor Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Pakistan’s Ministry of Health urged the public to donate blood voluntarily, warning of a severe shortage affecting hospitals’ ability to save lives.
Pakistan requires over 5 million blood donations every year, a number expected to reach 5.6 million by 2030. At present, only 2.3 million units are collected annually — leaving a significant gap.
Under the global theme “Give blood, give hope – together we save lives”, a blood donation drive was held at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in collaboration with WHO, where about 150 volunteers participated. WHO Representative Dr Dapeng Luo was among the first to donate blood.
Dr Luo emphasized that safe and voluntary blood donation can save up to three lives with a single donation. He stressed WHO’s commitment to helping Pakistan strengthen its blood services and ensure equitable access to safe blood.
Currently, 82% of blood donations in Pakistan come from family or replacement donors, while only 18% are from voluntary, unpaid donors. Experts say voluntary donations are the safest and most sustainable source of blood.
Dr Nelson Azeem from the Ministry of Health called voluntary donors “real heroes,” while Director General Health Dr Shabana Saleem praised WHO’s technical support and ongoing efforts to improve blood screening and testing.
WHO reaffirmed its support to help Pakistan modernize its blood banks and ensure safe supplies for all, without discrimination.
