“Mexico’s Blood Donation Boom: Thousands Step Up to Save Lives!”

Health officials in Mexico have reported a significant increase in voluntary blood donations, attributing this rise to various promotional campaigns. Thousands of individuals have come forward to donate blood, recognizing its critical role in medical treatment.

Since the start of this administration, voluntary blood donations have risen from 5.1 percent in 2018 to 8.3 percent in 2023, indicating that over 32,000 additional people have adopted this practice in the past year.

Jorge Enrique Trejo Gómora, Director General of the National Blood Transfusion Center (CNTS), stated that in 2023, there were over 1.6 million blood donations. Of these, 8.3 percent were voluntary and altruistic, while the remaining 91.7 percent were replacement donations.

The increase in voluntary donations can be attributed to changes initiated by the CNTS, in collaboration with various health institutions. These changes aim to meet the World Health Organization's goal of achieving 100 percent blood procurement through voluntary donations. Despite the progress, there is still a long way to go to reach this target.

The rise in donations is primarily due to the dispelling of myths and misconceptions about blood donation among the public and within blood services.

Efforts have also been made to streamline the donation process, making it more efficient and user-friendly. This includes training staff in customer service and all donation processes, with a focus on quality, safety, and efficiency.

The National Blood Transfusion Week, held from June 10 to 14, provides an opportunity for individuals wishing to donate blood to visit their nearest blood bank. Here, they will be assisted by specialized medical personnel.

Potential donors must meet certain criteria, including being between 18 and 65 years old, weighing at least 50 kilograms, and being in good health. Donors should not have had surgery in the past six months or suffered from infections such as hepatitis B or C, HIV, Chagas, or syphilis. Other requirements include not having had a tattoo, piercing, or acupuncture in the past 12 months, not suffering from epilepsy, tuberculosis, or serious heart diseases, not using intravenous or inhaled drugs, not consuming alcohol in the last 48 hours, and for women, not being pregnant or breastfeeding.