“Statistical studies related to last year show that with greater dedication and participation, the people of our country increased blood donation by 9.3% in 1401 compared to 1400,” Bashir Haji-Beigi said on Wednesday.
Haji-Beigi said 2,223,492 blood units were donated last year, with Tehran registering the highest blood donation rate in the country with 369,523 units.
He also said the index of repeated blood donation – donating blood at least twice a year – in 1401 showed a growth of more than 7% in Iran compared to the year before that.
“The amount of blood donation by women in Iran increased by 12% compared to 1400,” he said.
Calling the amount of blood donation in Iran "acceptable", the official explained that Iran’s blood donation index is more than 26 per 1,000 people, while the index is 16 in middle-to-high income countries and 31 in high-income countries on average.
“The consumption of blood and blood products is very high due to the existence of more than 20,000 thalassemia patients, road accidents, specialized and subspecialized surgeries, and the rising age of the population, and it doubles the need for regular donation of blood in the country,” he added.
With an index of more than 26 per 1,000 people, Iran currently has the highest blood donation rate in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The number is some 15 per 1,000 on average in countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
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