TEHRAN – Around 850,000 Iranians donated blood in the first four months of the current Iranian year, which started on March 21, according to an official with the Blood Transfusion Organization.

Supplying about 15 percent of the total donated blood, Tehran province made the largest contribution, followed by Fars and Khorasan Razavi provinces, accounting for seven percent of the whole blood donation, ibto.ir quoted Shahram Mirzaei as saying.

During the same period, the highest blood donation growth was recorded in the provinces of Zanjan, North Khorasan, and Fars provinces with 19, 17, and 15 percent increase, respectively.

The official went on to say that about 53 percent of blood donations come from regular blood donors. The provinces of Semnan (around 67 percent), Yazd (more than 64 percent), and Golestan (over 63 percent) hold the highest rates for continuous blood donation, respectively.

Currently, women’s share of blood donation in the country is above five percent, Mirzaei said.

WHO lauds IBTO’s achievements

In January, the World Health Organization representative, Jaffar Hussain, admired the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization’s (IBTO) leadership in blood safety and transfusion services, and highlighted their remarkable achievement of a 100 percent voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation system, a testament to the principles of universal health coverage in action. 

He also thanked the blood donors, whose selflessness serves as an inspiration to all.

Admiring the IBTO’s efforts and expertise in providing services to patients with rare blood types, the official underscored Iran’s capacity to serve as a model for other nations in the realm of blood transfusion and rare blood management.

Addressing National Rare Blood Day on January 22, the official praised the country’s steadfast commitment to equitable healthcare access, ensuring that no one is left behind, regardless of their blood type.

The official commended the country’s unwavering dedication to tackling the unique challenges surrounding rare blood, emphasizing the critical importance of collaboration, innovation, and unwavering determination in this global endeavor, the WHO website announced in a press release on January 27.

He lauded the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization’s (IBTO) leadership in blood safety and transfusion services, highlighting their remarkable achievement of a 100 percent voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation system, a testament to the principles of universal health coverage in action. He also thanked the blood donors, whose selflessness serves as an inspiration to all.

Blood donation rises by 1.5% yr/yr

Some 2.36 million Iranians donated blood over the past Iranian calendar year (March 2024-March 2025), representing a 1.5 percent increase compared to the previous year.

Tehran and Fars, Khorasan Razavi, Isfahan, Mazandaran, and Khuzestan provinces made the largest contributions, IRIB reported.

Over the past (Iranian) year, some four million blood units, including blood products, were transferred to medical centers, IRIB quoted Haji-Beigi, as saying.

Men made up 95 percent of blood donors, while women’s contribution amounted to five percent. Women in Lorestan province, North Khorasan, and Sistan-Baluchestan had the highest share, he added.
Highlighting the need for negative blood types, the official said 90 percent of donors had positive blood. 

MT/MG