Abstract
The global blood supply is skewed to developed countries, where around 16% of the global population lives. Over 40% of all blood collections occur in Very High or High Human Development Index (VH/H-HDI) countries. The Low- and Medium-HDI (L/M-HDI) countries house around 84% of the global population. Blood donation rates in many Low- and Medium- Human Development Index (L/M-HDI) countries represents <1% of the national population. Yet, demand for blood in L/M-HDI countries is relatively high mainly due to maternal hemorrhage; other causes of anemia, e.g., malaria in under 5-years old children; HIV/AIDS; trauma and traffic accidents, armed conflicts, civil wars and insurgence.
Guided through WHO, many projects from developed countries have been launched or are still being implemented. Due to the recent financial fund humanitarian foreign aid cuts these have slowed down or stopped with their implementation which leads to a change in priorities and creates prolongation of existing challenges particularly in the health care and availability of safe blood. The gap between the developed (around 16% of the global population) and the developing countries (over 80% of the global population) will therefor rapidly increase.