A senior government official of Madagascar called for regular blood donation by eligible youths to ensure safe transfusion.

Speaking at a conference to mark the World Blood Donor Day here, Dr. Marie Perline Rahantanirina, vice minister in charge of social affairs and health of mothers and children, said that the government made efforts to commit volunteers to donating regularly.

WHO Representative to Madagascar, Dr. Leonard Tapsoba, told the meeting that the number of blood donors has increase in African countries and the target is to increase the blood donor volunteers to 80 percent in 2012 from 79 percent in 2006.

The World Health Organization (WHO) planned to increase the total number of blood donor volunteers to 8 million.

Dr. Rahantanirina declared that the improvement of quality care for blood donation was in line with the fight against HIV/AIDS in Madagascar. The Madagascan government has offered a special budget in the Health Ministry to provide quality care in national transfusion services.

Tapsoba also spoke at the meeting, attended by some 200 guests including officials and blood donor representatives, that quality care should be seen in the transfusion service.

June 16