Approximately three billion individuals worldwide suffer from iron deficiency and anaemia, while an additional 600 million experience acute or chronic blood loss and/or bleeding disorders. These conditions are significant contributors to morbidity, mortality, and healthcare resource utilization. Moreover, they adversely affect cognitive development, quality of life, and productivity. For decades, the scale and severity of this global health challenge have been largely unrecognized by the medical establishment. One contributing factor is the traditional perception of blood as an organ yet as an easily replaceable commodity, routinely replenished by voluntary blood donors. However, accumulating evidence underscores the importance of etiology-specific management of anaemia, blood loss, and coagulopathy, demonstrating that targeted interventions can substantially improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and as a corollary largely avoid blood transfusions.1 The result of this paradigm shift is described as Patient Blood Management (PBM), a comprehensive, evidence-based model of care that prioritizes the optimization of a patient's own blood.2 The overarching goal of PBM is to achieve blood health, defined as the optimal function of individual blood components and their interactions with other organs and physiological systems.3 Recognizing the importance of this approach, the World Health Organization (WHO) has called upon its member states to rapidly implement PBM as a standard of care. To support this initiative, the WHO has introduced its Guidance on Implementing Patient Blood Management to Improve Global Blood Health Status, which provides a strategic framework for Ministries and Departments of Health worldwide.4 This guidance aims to facilitate the integration of PBM into healthcare systems through collaboration with local health organizations, hospitals, and medical centers.
