Don't wait for a disaster to donate blood, says the World Health Organisation as World Blood Donor Day comes up on June 14. In the last decade, disasters have caused more than a million deaths, and affected over 250 million every year. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and storms and man-made disasters such as road accidents and armed conflicts generate substantial healthcare demands. Blood transfusion is an part of emergency health-care. And as emergencies increase, the demand for and delivery of blood becomes challenging. Adequate supply of blood during emergencies requires a well-organised service, and this can only be ensured by engaging the entire community and a committed donor population. But many countries still face the challenge of making blood available, especially that is safe and of quality.

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