REPORT ON ROTARY SAFE BLOOD PROGRAM

The program began in 2002 with the mission of arresting the horrific growth of AIDS and Hepatitis in many Latin American countries. In these countries, community wide blood donation is not an accepted practice. As a result, hospitals and clinics rely on paid donors off the street plus friends and relatives of the patient. Paid donors blood statistics show that there is about a 50% probability of disease.

Our Rotary program began with a partnership with the Pan American Health Organization, largest component of the World Health Organization with offices in forty Latin American countries.

We were at first a Committee of five working with Rotarians in three countries. Foundation grants and private grants were secured, and the pilot programs in those countries were completed. As a result, we developed the following general program guidelines and objectives. Phase I would be education, planning and organization for community promotion. Phase II would be action on promotion activates and blood drives. However, we recognized that this must be a grass roots Rotary program, and that our undertaking here in the U.S. is encouragement, partnership, liaison, and parallel fund raising.

We are now a Committee of seventeen, working with Rotarians, Health Ministries, and the Red Cross in eight Latin American countries. Our program is formally designated as a Rotary Action Group by RI. The committee includes nine country representatives plus members handling grants, financial control, and representatives emeritus. PDG Jerry Evans, 7610, is Chair and PDG Jim McDiarmid, 7620, is Chair Emeritus. Participating Rotary Clubs in District 7620 include College Park, Washington, Potomac, and Columbia. Those in District 7610 include Fredericksburg and Baileys Crossroads, plus others.

In coordination with our work, PAHO has established a facilities group that works with the Ministries of Health to improve the receipt, testing, and storage of donations. With the world class Bogotá central collection center as a model, they seek to design and build large, cost-effective, patient-friendly donation centers in each major city. Along with this will be high quality testing centers, able to properly separate and classify the various components, and to store them for shipment to the hospitals and clinics promptly.

The program has received numerous recognition awards from the Pan American Health Organization, and safe blood has become one the eight top objectives of Rotary International. We look forward to the day when it will be officially recognized as a Rotary Program worldwide.