Speeches Archive > Address by the Minister of Health, Mrs Constantina Akkelidou At the Seminar on Blood Safety Hilton Park Hotel 8th November 2003
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Address by the Minister of Health, Mrs Constantina Akkelidou At the Seminar on Blood Safety Hilton Park Hotel 8th November 2003
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Address by the Minister of Health, Mrs Constantina Akkelidou
At the Seminar on Blood Safety
Hilton Park Hotel
8th November 2003
It gives me great pleasure to address to-day's workshop, which is organized by the Thalassamia International Federation, to discuss blood safety, a theme that is of a great interest and concern to all those involved in health care provision.
Cyprus is among the very few countries in the world that have achieved full satisfaction of their populations blood need by voluntary blood donation. This is the result of the excellent cooperation and co-ordination between the public health services and the voluntary organizations concerned, but above all, it reflects the traditional feelings of altrouism and solidarity with the sick and the needy that characterize Cypriots.
This success is not measured in quantitative terms only. The laboratory checks and other safety measures, combined with voluntary blood donation, guarantee the quality and safety of blood transfusion. The unremunerated volunteer blood donor, whose only motivation is altrouism, has no reason to conceal conditions or diseases that may be transmitted by blood trasfusion.
It is for this reason that the legislation that has been introduced in Cyprus for the regulation of blood donation includes provisions, that recognize and upgrade the role of voluntary organizations in blood donation.
The demand for blood has steadily been increasing over the last years. Cardiac surgery, and autologous bone marrow transplants are new modalities, which have been established in Cyprus recently, creating additional blood needs. Road traffic accidents are also another cause for increased demand for blood.
A program for the upgrading and the reorganization of the Blood Transfusion Services in Cyprus is currently receiving serious consideration and will be introduced very soon. The topics of your agenda are very relevant and your conclusions will be taken into accent in the development of our program.
I congradulate the chairman of the Thalassaemia International Federation and all those who have worked for the organization of the seminar.
I wish you all a successful meeting and, for our distinguished guests, a very pleasant stay in our island.
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