Despite a rise in blood donations worldwide, millions of patients continue to face a dangerous reality — the blood they need to survive may not be available when they need it most. A new global assessment by the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals steady progress in improving blood safety but highlights major gaps in access, funding, regulation, and healthcare infrastructure across countries.

According to WHO data collected from 132 countries, global blood collections increased by nearly 19% between 2013 and 2023. Voluntary, unpaid donors remain the backbone of this progress, contributing more than 85% of the estimated 120 million blood donations collected worldwide in 2023.

However, the availability of safe blood remains deeply unequal. While some countries have strong and reliable blood systems, many low-income regions continue to struggle with shortages, leaving vulnerable patients at risk.

For women suffering severe bleeding during childbirth, children battling severe anaemia, trauma and burn victims, patients undergoing major surgeries, and people living with conditions such as sickle-cell disease, thalassaemia, haemophilia, immune disorders, and certain cancers, access to safe blood can mean the difference between life and death.

"No one should die because safe blood is unavailable when it is needed," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. He highlighted that the growing contribution of voluntary unpaid donors is encouraging but warned that a person’s location can still determine whether they receive a life-saving transfusion.

A World Divided by Blood Availability

The WHO report reveals a striking imbalance in global blood supplies. High-income countries represent only about 15% of the world’s population but collect 36% of all blood donations globally.

In contrast, many lower-income countries face persistent shortages due to limited healthcare funding, inadequate infrastructure, transportation challenges, and difficulties in recruiting regular donors.

Blood donation rates vary dramatically across nations, ranging from just 0.4 donations per 1,000 people to 53 donations per 1,000 people. Twenty-four countries reported collecting fewer than five donations per 1,000 population, indicating serious limitations in meeting patients’ transfusion needs.

The reliance on voluntary unpaid donors also differs widely. In high-income countries, nearly 98.4% of blood donations come from voluntary unpaid donors. However, in low-income countries, this figure drops to around 63.4%, reflecting challenges in establishing stable and sustainable donor networks.

Weak Regulations Put Blood Safety at Risk

WHO also raised concerns about weaknesses in governance and quality control systems. Safe blood supplies depend not only on donations but also on strong laws, proper monitoring, trained personnel, and effective healthcare systems.

Nearly one-third of countries still lack specific legislation to ensure the safety and quality of blood and blood products. Only 64% of countries reported having regular inspection systems for blood services, while 62% had licensing mechanisms. Accreditation of blood transfusion services was reported by only 40% of countries.

These gaps increase the risk of inconsistent quality standards and make it difficult to guarantee that every patient receives safe and effective blood products.

Investment Needed to Build Stronger Blood Systems

Financial challenges remain another major barrier. More than one in seven countries reported having neither dedicated government funding nor cost-recovery systems for blood services, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of national blood supplies.

WHO has called on governments and healthcare partners to strengthen blood service governance, increase investment, expand quality assurance programmes, improve clinical transfusion practices, and develop stronger data and monitoring systems.

The global health body emphasised that sustainable blood systems are essential for achieving universal access to safe and quality-assured blood products, regardless of geography or economic status.

The new findings were released ahead of World Blood Donor Day, observed every year on June 14. This year’s campaign, themed “One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives,” celebrates voluntary unpaid donors and highlights the critical role every donation plays in saving lives and strengthening healthcare systems.

The WHO report serves as a reminder that while millions of people donate blood every year, the world still faces a major challenge — ensuring that every patient, everywhere, has access to safe blood when they need it most.