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Over 1.3 million people donated their blood in Russia in 2019

Russia’s Federal Medical Biological Agency chief said that promotion of voluntary blood donation can be seen as promotion of healthy lifestyles because all who want to donate their blood undergo comprehensive medical examination

MOSCOW, June 8. /TASS/. More than one million people donated their blood and its components in 2019, the press service of Russia’s Federal Medical Biological Agency said on Monday.

"Today, Russia is one of the world’s leaders in terms of blood donation. In 2019 alone, more than 1.3 million people donated their blood and its components. Notable, the majority of blood donors in Russia - 99.6% - do it without compensation," it said.

The agency stressed that it became possible to avoid shortages of donated blood and its components during the novel coronavirus infection. "During the pandemic, the number of blood donors has decreased by less than one percent (0.7%)," the press service quoted the agency chief, Veronika Skvortsova, as saying.

According to Skvortsova, promotion of voluntary blood donation can be seen as promotion of healthy lifestyles because all those who want to donate their blood undergo comprehensive medical examination.

A nationwide Blood Donor Week started in Russia on June 8. It is timed to World Blood Donor Day, which has been marked on June 14 since 2005.

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