• Self-sufficiency;   • safe blood and blood products;   •
voluntary non-remunerated blood donation  All countries face
challenges in making sufficient supplies of blood and blood
products available and sustainable, while also ensuring the
quality and safety of these products in the face of known and
emerging threats to public health. Since 1975, the World Health
Assembly (WHA) has highlighted the global need for blood safety
and availability. WHA resolutions 63·12, 58·13 and 28·72, The
Melbourne Declaration on 100% Voluntary Non-Remunerated Donation
of Blood and Blood Components and WHO Global Blood Safety
Network recommendations have reaffirmed the achievement of
‘Self-sufficiency in blood and blood products based on voluntary
non-remunerated blood donation (VNRBD)’ as the important
national policy direction for ensuring a safe, secure and
sufficient supply of blood and blood products, including labile
blood components and plasma-derived medicinal products. Despite
some successes, self-sufficiency is not ye