Tunis/Tunisia — The National Blood Transfusion Center, the Ministry of Health, and components of civil society supporting blood donation celebrated the National Blood Donation Day by honoring a group of donors at a ceremony held in the City of Culture in the capital.

Tunisia needs 750 blood donors daily and 270,000 donors annually to cover its needs of blood required during surgeries and medication and to save patients and those injured in accidents, especially with the high rate of medication and demand for treatment among Tunisians, Slama Hmida, Director of the National Center for Blood Transfusion, said on the occasion.

He added that the efforts made to provide the needs of blood banks and hospitals were stepped up in 2022 by securing 241,000 donors compared to the year 2021, where the number of donors was 217,900, an increase of 10%.

However, Tunisia needs 270,000 blood donors annually, meaning that the shortfall in the needs of donors is estimated at 30,000 donors, said the official in charge of the national centre for blood donation.

He added that the desired goal of public health is to cover the shortage and achieve greater regularity in the blood donation of individuals to all Tunisians and those who need it in general, not just family members.

The director of the center indicated that voluntary blood donation represents only 21% of the total donors, and regular donation does not exceed 8% of the donors.

This needs to be changed through concerted efforts between associations, civil society, the state and the media to increase the number of volunteers, deepen the spirit of volunteerism and ensure highest percentage of regularity, he added.

The ceremony was attended by Minister of Health Ali Mrabet, executives of public structures and civil associations supporting blood donation and transfusion and dozens of volunteers, donors and families of beneficiaries of blood transfusion.

During the ceremony, symbolic certificates were awarded to many multiple blood donors.