In support of World Blood Donor Day on June 14, Facebook is going to launch 'Blood Donations on Facebook', a new center where people in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, and India can find opportunities to donate nearby.
'We are also running a campaign in these countries to raise awareness of blood shortage and the importance and impact of donating,' said an announcement here on Tuesday.
People who visit Blood Donations on Facebook can also sign up to be a blood donor to get notified directly when there is a need for blood nearby. To date, more than 10 million people have signed up and thousands of donations have been facilitated through Facebook.
In many countries, including Pakistan, blood donations are typically at their lowest during May and June. To help raise awareness of the shortage and the need for donations, Facebook will be running a campaign through the month of June to encourage people to donate blood, share stories of people who have saved lives using these features, and educate people about the process of donating blood.
Professor Hasan Abbas Zaheer, National Coordinator, Safe Blood Transfusion Programme explains, "During the summer vacations and in the holy month of Ramadan blood donation rates fall in Pakistan and the past few years these times have overlapped and caused real hardship to the patients, particularly the large population of transfusion dependent thalassaemia patients.
Our blood banks thus face an urgent need to collect blood through repeat donations from our regular donors and also by recruiting (and retaining) more new donors to ensure replenishment of blood stocks from a low-risk population to maintain the smooth functioning of the system. The government's Safe Blood Transfusion Programme welcomes Blood Donations through Facebook which make it easier for people to support their local blood donation events and respond to requests for blood donations. Remember your one blood donation can help save the lives of three different patients."-PR