World Health Organization 66th Session of the Regional Committee for the Americas September 29th - October 4th 2014 | Washington D.C., USA
Statement of International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations on Agenda Item 4.4: Plan of Action for Universal Access to Safe Blood Honorable Health Leaders from the Americas: On behalf of the International Federation of Medical Students Associations which represents 126 National Medical Students’ Associations, we applaud the efforts being done PAHO on the issue of Universal Access to Safe Blood. 65% of Blood donations done in developed countries, that represents 25% of the world’s population. The rates of donation continue to be under 1% of the population in 79 countries, 71 of them are developing countries. In 41 countries not all the blood donated was serologically tested for blood transmissible infections like: HIV, hepatitis B and C or Syphilis. In the Americas, we face different challenges; the lack of availability of reliable data from blood services and other blood banks is a major challenge. The lack of understanding of the true need for safe blood and products is affecting our mortality rates one patient at the time. As future doctors we consider it our responsibility to advocate for the Universal Access to Safe Blood. We call upon member states to: • Integrate Universal Access to Safe Blood in the national health systems agendas and health reforms • Elaborate and Promote a National Blood Programme that is inclusive to all society regardless of their social status or gender identity. • Promote education campaigns about the definition and importance of the safe donor • Promote voluntary blood donation rather than paid for Blood and products. • Train the personnel in the Blood banks and Hospitals on this matter. • Promote economic investment by governmental and non - governmental organizations in the region on equipments to blood banks and hospitals, in order to ensure adequate blood processing and serologically testing. • Guarantee the access to Safe Blood to all the members of society without any kind of discrimination. We call upon PAHO to: • Strengthen and promote the Universal Access to Safe Blood plan in each member country. • Promote informative campaigns regarding the importance of Blood Donation • Present updated information about this matter on each country • Elaborate realistic strategies to achieve the goal of Universal Access to Safe Blood. As IFMSA we commit to: • Raise awareness regarding the importance of Universal Access to Safe Blood • Promote and join the campaigns of PAHO on this field • Educate our members on the importance of Universal Access to Safe Blood. Contact Maria Jose Cisneros Caceres IFMSA Regional Coordinator for the Americas rcamerica@ifmsa.org | www.ifmsa.org