PHNOM PENH, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Liu Yunguo, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Cambodia, on Wednesday encouraged more Cambodians to donate blood, saying their donations were crucial to saving lives.
"Giving blood is saving life. A single unit of donated blood can save up to three lives," he said during the 14th anniversary of the World Blood Donor Day here, which drew about 500 blood donors.
He said globally, transfusion of blood and blood products helped save millions of lives every year. However, in many countries, including Cambodia, there was an inadequate supply of safe blood.
"In Cambodia, the blood collected from voluntary blood donations has not yet met the national needs," he said, adding "while the proportion of voluntary blood donations in most neighboring countries reached 80 to 90 percent, Cambodia reached only 31 percent by the end of 2016 compared to WHO's recommended level of 100 percent."
"Many more voluntary donors are needed to meet the National Blood Transfusion Centre's target of 50 percent voluntary blood donations by 2020," he added.
It is estimated that only four out of 1,000 Cambodian people donate blood.
Speaking at the event, Cambodian Health Minister Mam Bunheng called on the people, especially youth, to donate more blood, saying that proper blood transfusion would not harm donors' health.
Hok Kim Cheng, director of National Blood Transfusion Centre, said the centre received voluntary blood donations of 65,145 units in 2016, up 20 percent year-on-year.
