DUSHANBE, June 14, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Like other countries through the world, Tajikistan celebrates World Blood Donor Day.

On this occasion, a week-long action entitled “A drop of blood can save lives!” started at the Republican Center for Blood Research today.

Deputy director of the Dushanbe Blood Center, Nourullo Ashouraliyev, told Asia-Plus that more than 400 people, primarily medical workers, donated blood today by noon.  According to him, a total number of blood donors across the country is now more than 37,000 people.

“The Republican Blood Center now has two mobile blood donor units and special vehicles for transporting blood to the region and conducting researches,” Ashouraliyev noted.

On 14 June, countries worldwide celebrate World Blood Donor Day with events to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.

The theme of the 2012 World Blood Donor Day campaign, “Every blood donor is a hero” focuses on the idea that every one of us can become a hero by giving blood.  While recognizing the silent and unsung heroes who save lives every day through their blood donations, the theme also strongly encourages more people all over the world to donate blood voluntarily and regularly.

The World Health Organization (WO) and partners have decided to focus the 2012 campaign on the idea that every one of us can become a hero simply by giving blood.  The everyday hero responds to an immediate need, whatever the conditions, despite inconvenience, putting the needs of others above their own.  Voluntary blood donors come from all walks of life, all regions, backgrounds, religions and ages.  By choosing to donate blood without getting paid, these individuals commit a “heroic” act, a gesture of human solidarity with the power to save lives.  Some of them do so dozens of times over several decades.