Blood donation

BELGRADE - The Red Cross of Serbia marked 140 years of existence and National Blood Donor Day with a celebration at Belgrade's Old Palace, and Deputy Mayor of Belgrade Andreja Mladenovic said that everyone should help the organization.
    

Voluntary blood donation has increased in Greece during the last two years of the crisis. Head of the country’s blood donation center Haris Matsoukas said that 51% of donations are from volunteers and 41% are from friends or family of patients with another 2% from members of the armed forces and 5% from the Swiss Red Cross.

Inspired by the legend of Dracula, the fictional vampire from Bram Stoker's horror story, organisers of the Untold music festival in Transylvania have launched a campaign to encourage blood donation in Romania.

Music Festival Encourages People to Donate Blood|Photo by Untold Festival 

Sweden has a brilliant system for blood donors. A “Thank you” text for your contribution to the country’s blood supply will be sent to your mobile phone once you successfully onate it. A recent initiative to combat blood shortages has led the country to promoting the caring gesture through social media.

U.S. health regulators will recommend that gay men be allowed to donate blood one year after their last sexual contact, easing a ban that has been in place since 1983.

A panel of experts convened by U.S. health regulators failed Dec. 3 to decide whether a lifetime ban should be lifted on gay men donating blood, following two days of heated deliberations.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which takes into account the 17-member committee's suggestions, did not indicate when it would make a decision.

An online database of the country’s blood donors is due to be launched later this year, Health Ministry officials said Monday.

The so-called Blood Donor Registry, which will be ready to run in pilot mode by late November, will also keep a record of blood donation agencies operating around the country.