-Caveat Lector- <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/"> </A> -Cui Bono?- Most countries fail to test donated blood, U.N. reports Copyright � 2000 Nando Media Copyright � 2000 Associated Press By GEIR MOULSON, Associated Press GENEVA (April 6, 2000 8:35 p.m. EDT http://www.nandotimes.com) - A U.N. agency said Friday that more than half of the world's countries fail to perform full tests on donated blood, increasing the risk of spreading AIDS and other diseases. >From 5 to 10 percent of people with the AIDS virus are estimated to be infected via blood transfusions, said Yasuhiro Suzuki, director of the World Health Organization's health technologies division. "Reliable and safe blood supply is still out of reach for untold millions of people around the world," WHO Director-General Gro Harlem Brundtland said in a statement released Friday in Europe, marking World Health Day. She blamed a "lack of commitment and support on the part of many governments." Annually, more than 13 million units (pints) of blood - almost one-fifth of the world's annual consumption - not tested for all infections that could be transmitted by transfusions, WHO said. In addition to AIDS, many other diseases - such as hepatitis B and C, malaria and syphilis - also can be transmitted through transfusions, Suzuki noted. Only 43 percent of the WHO's 191 member states test blood for the three viruses, Suzuki said. "The majority of the developing world is not complying" with WHO guidelines on blood donations, which stipulate that they should be made voluntarily and without payment by healthy donors, Suzuki said. In developed countries, 98 percent of the blood supply comes from such safe donors, he added. Most blood in developing countries is provided by relatives or by paid donors. WHO concedes that blood testing is expensive, costing between $40 and $50 per unit. It also is not always reliable, particularly if carried out by inadequately trained staff or with inadequate equipment. Suzuki said that WHO hopes to help offset that. "We are planning in the five years to come to install, or to assist member states to install, a national blood safety program," he said. In the meantime, the campaign backed by the international Red Cross has adopted the slogan "Safe blood starts with me." It encourages people giving blood to be honest with health workers in describing any diseases they have had so as to ensure that their blood does not endanger the health of recipients. Luc Noel, WHO's coordinator of blood transfusion safety, said WHO could bulk-buy testing kits for developing countries, but needs to look beyond that to training staff and building up programs. Each year, unsafe transfusion and injection practices are estimated to account for 8 to 16 million hepatitis B infections, 2.3 to 4.7 million hepatitis C and 80,000-160,000 HIV infections. WHO said little progress has been made globally over the last quarter- century. "Transmissible diseases are not the only issue," said Noel. In many countries which lack an organized transfusion system, donated blood is simply unavailable. Some 75 million units of blood are given worldwide each year. More than half that amount - 44.9 million units of blood each year - is given in the richest third of the world's countries. The poorest third account for just 1.3 million units. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Steve Wingate California Director SKYWATCH INTERNATIONAL Anomalous Images and UFO Files http://www.anomalous-images.com <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soap-boxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
