Cambodia marks World Blood Donor Day

Xinhua | 14th June, 2012 By Agencies

Cambodia on Thursday observed the World Blood Donor Day, urging for more blood donations, while a latest report shows that 4 out of 1,000 people donate their blood.

The celebration under the theme "every blood donor is hero" was presided over by Cambodian Minister of Health Mam Bunheng and attended by some 500 health officials, foreign embassy officials to Cambodia, non-governmental organization representatives, and students.

Speaking at the event, Mam Bunheng said that the theme was to express profound thanks to blood donors and to encourage more people to donate their blood for life saving.

"Blood transfusion will not harm your health; instead, your blood will save lives of the patients," he told the gathering.

Hok Kim Cheng, director of National Blood Transfusion Center, said that last year, the center has received voluntary donations of 46,690 units of blood, up 14 percent from 40,245 units in a year earlier.

"We observe that more Cambodian have voluntarily donated their blood last year--4 out of 1,000 people donated their blood in 2011, up from 3 out of 1,000 people in 2010," he said.

All blood had been tested for four types of diseases: HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, and malaria, he said, adding that blood contains one of these diseases will be destroyed.