Safe blood supply is improving as voluntary donations exceed 85%, but many people still lack access

New data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows sustained progress towards safer blood supplies globally, but also highlights persistent inequalities in access to safe blood and weaknesses in the management, financing and regulation of blood systems.

Data collected from 132 countries revealed that global blood collections increased by nearly 19% between 2013 and 2023. Voluntary, unpaid donors continued to drive this progress, accounting for more than 85% of the estimated 120 million blood donations received in 2023.

Despite these gains, access to safe blood and blood products remains highly unequal worldwide. Many patients – including women who experience life-threatening bleeding during childbirth, children with severe anaemia, injuries or burns, patients undergoing surgery and people living with diseases such as sickle cell disease, thalassemia, hemophilia, immune deficiencies and certain forms of cancer – still lack reliable access to safe blood and life-saving transfusions, especially in lower-income countries.

“No one should die because safe blood is not available when needed,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general. “These data show encouraging progress, particularly in the increasing contribution of voluntary unpaid blood donors worldwide – the cornerstone of safe and sustainable blood supplies – but also remind us that where a person lives can still determine whether they have access to the blood transfusions they need. Governments must continue to invest in strong, sustainable national blood systems and support voluntary unpaid blood donors whose generosity saves millions of lives every year.”

Constant inequalities in the availability of blood

Although high-income countries account for only 15% of the world’s population, they collect 36% of all blood donations in the world. In contrast, many lower-income countries continue to face shortages of blood supplies due to limited funding, weak infrastructure, logistical barriers, and insufficient recruitment of donors.

Blood donation rates vary dramatically between countries, ranging from 0.4 to 53 donations per 1,000 population. Twenty-four countries reported collecting less than 5 blood donations per 1,000 inhabitants, reflecting severe limitations in providing timely transfusions for patients in need.

The proportion of blood collected from voluntary, unpaid donors also varies considerably by country’s income level. While such donations account for 98.4% of all blood donations in high-income countries, the figure drops to 63.4% in low-income countries, where health systems often struggle to maintain adequate and reliable blood supplies.

Stronger management and funding needed

Safe blood depends on strong management and regulation of blood systems, with the continued engagement and commitment of blood donors. WHO analysis shows that almost one third of countries still do not have specific laws to ensure the safety and quality of blood and blood products. Only 64% of countries report systems for regular inspection of blood services, 62% have licensing systems, and only 40% report that at least some blood transfusion services are accredited – highlighting significant gaps in quality assurance across the safe blood supply chain.

Sustainable financing remains a major challenge. More than 1 in 7 countries reported having neither dedicated government budget allocations nor cost recovery mechanisms for blood services, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of national blood supplies.

As part of efforts to build resilient and equitable health systems, WHO calls on countries and partners to strengthen governance and regulation of blood services, ensure sustainable financing, expand quality assurance programs, improve clinical transfusion practices, and strengthen surveillance and data systems to support evidence-based decision-making. These measures are essential to ensure universal access to safe, effective blood and blood products of assured quality, regardless of where people live.

The WHO is releasing this latest data set ahead of World Blood Donor Day, which is celebrated every year on June 14. This year’s campaign, under the slogan “One drop of humanity. Give Blood. To save lives,” recognizes the contribution of voluntary unpaid blood donors and points out that every blood donation helps patients in need, strengthens communities and contributes to the resilience of health systems.

Notes to editors

The Global State of Blood Safety and Availability 2025 Report draws on data from 168 countries, covering 97% of the world’s population, and provides the most comprehensive global assessment of blood systems to date. It examines blood availability, transfusion safety, clinical use of blood, access to plasma-derived medicines and the capacity of national blood systems. The findings are primarily based on 2023 data reported by countries through the Global Health Database on Blood Safety (GDBS).

ABOUT WHO

Committed to the well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and supports global efforts to give everyone, everywhere, an equal opportunity to live a safe and healthy life. We are the United Nations health agency that connects nations, partners and people on the front lines in more than 150 locations – leading the world’s response to health emergencies, preventing disease, addressing the root causes of health problems and expanding access to medicines and health care. Our mission is to support all countries in promoting, providing and protecting health.

“Together for health. Let’s stand by science”, is the theme World Health Day 2026marks a year-long campaign to highlight science as the foundation for protecting health and well-being around the world.