IFRCS

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFCR)

IFRC mission/vision

The International Federation’s mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. IFRC recognizes that health security is fundamental to global, national and individual development and is committed to capacity building and promoting sustainability. As part of its current Strategy 2020: saving lives, changing minds the IFRC promotes voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation, and advocates for the safe provision of blood and blood products.

The safety and integrity of national blood supplies are fundamental to health security. Blood and blood products are vital for health care and the achievement of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals to: 

  1. reduce child mortality (Goal 4)
  2. improve maternal health (Goal 5)
  3. combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases (Goal 6)


Recognizing that voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation provides the foundation for safe and sustainable blood systems, the International Federation has partnered with WHO to create a global framework for action for 100 per cent voluntary blood donation. The aim of the global framework is to eliminate paid or family replacement donation and help shift the responsibility for the provision of blood from patients’ relatives (in the case of family replacement donation) to the health care system.


Activities

IFRC supports the establishment of safe and sustainable blood systems through leadership, advocacy and guidance to member societies, in particular via:

  • Guidance/training in promoting voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation;
  • Organisation of occasional colloquia on blood donor motivation, recruitment and retention;
  • Focus on young blood donors and the role of Club 25 programmes in health promotion;
  • Co-operation with other international and professional organisations; 
  • Liaison with experts group (GAP -  global advisory panel on corporate governance and risk management for blood services in Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies) to assess requests for assistance and to facilitate the finding of resources for technical and professional support.


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