Government approves the Strategy for the Development of Voluntary Free Donation of Blood and Blood Components

The strategy’s implementation areas are in line with Ukraine’s European integration commitments under the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, which, in particular, sets out a course to intensify cooperation with the EU in the field of blood services.  The strategy was approved for the period until 2028. A corresponding action plan for its implementation in 2024-2026 was also approved.

In times of war, the sustainable satisfaction of the need for donated blood and blood components is one of the main conditions for the country’s defense and national security. The adopted strategy provides for the creation of favorable conditions for the population to realize and form a positive social attitude towards blood and blood components donation, and to maintain public trust. The document is aimed at implementing the state policy in the field of healthcare to meet the needs of the population for safe and high-quality donated blood and blood components in sufficient quantities.

In a blood system based on the principle of voluntary donation, patients have equal access to safe and high-quality donated blood and blood components. The main principles of the strategy are to prevent shortages of donated blood and blood components, as well as to ensure the continuity of transfusion care for both the civilian population and the needs of the security and defense forces.

According to the adopted document, patients will not have to look for blood donors to receive proper medical care and fight for their lives. In particular, young people will be encouraged to be active, and experts will motivate students to become blood and blood components donors voluntarily and regularly. To this end, secondary and higher education institutions will hold events to promote blood donation.

It is also planned to create units in the blood system entities responsible for attracting blood and blood components donors. The formation of a base of permanent donors will be achieved through a systematic approach to planning blood preparation and managing blood component stocks.

According to the World Health Organization, in countries with above-average per capita incomes, the number of donations per thousand people is 15.9 times higher. In Ukraine, this figure is only 11 donations per thousand people.

As of 1 January 2022, according to the Ministry of Health, the total number of blood and blood component donors was 309,255 people, as of 1 January 2021 - 311,895 people, and as of 1 January 2020 - 363,318 people.