«The Donor management: communications and leadership» – a forum of the Moscow donor organizers united the donor community

On November 17, the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation in Moscow hosted a forum of the donor organizers «The donor management: communications and leadership», provided by the non-profit foundation «National Health Fund» and the Coordinating Council for Blood Donation at the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation.

The forum brings together volunteers, donor organizers, representatives of the Blood Service, non-profit organizations, businesses, experts, blood donors and even recipients. Representatives from more than 50 regions of the country took part in the forum.

«We are united by common goals - human life, kindness, mutual assistance, understanding and, of course, the systematic development of blood donation» - Elena Stefanyuk, Director of the National Health Fund, Deputy Chairman of the Coordinating Council for Blood Donation at the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, moderator of the event .

Elena Stefanyuk named the main competencies that volunteers, organizers of the donor movement noted as significant in their work. This is the ability to conduct a dialogue, build relationships, convince and unite people, be a leader who is not afraid to make decisions. Equally important are knowledge and motivation. That is why the forum program included four main tracks: «Professionally about the donation», «Communications», «Leadership», «Motivation».

Elena Stefanyuk also spoke about the results of a study on blood donation in Moscow. According to half of the respondents, over the past three years, the situation with blood donation has changed for the better - this is manifested in an increase in the number of blood donors, agitation and promotion of donation, and quick service for donors. The vast majority of interviewed donors from Moscow (98%) plan to continue donating blood. Among the reasons for donating, the vast majority cite helping other people (88%), the likelihood that blood can help loved ones (42%), and services for organizers of the donor movement, which are provided in the capital by the National Health Fund.

Blood sampling from donors is carried out by institutions of the Blood Service. Infrastructurally, the Blood Service of the Russian Federation is represented in each subject by regional blood transfusion stations with a developed branch network and blood transfusion departments in republican and regional hospitals, as well as federal institutions, mainly the Federal Medical-Biological Agency of Russia and the Ministry of Health of Russia, the Federal Security Service of Russia, the National Guard and the Ministry of Defense Russia.

«The total number of donations of blood and its components has increased compared to 2020 and also exceeded the values of the «pre-Covid» period. At the same time, the procurement of one or another component is always due to the need for them. Thus, we can state an increase in the need for healthcare in all blood components, and especially in platelet concentrate, the number of donations of which increased by 11.7%. An important strategic direction is the development of the Federal Register of Bone Marrow Donors» - Olga Eikhler, Head of the Department of Medical Support for Extreme Work and the Blood Service of the FMBA of Russia.

«Blood is an invaluable resource, and as much should be harvested as it will be in demand later. Our interaction with blood donors should be based on this balance: all actions should be thoughtful, aimed at informing and long-term interaction with donors. Blood components are most in demand in the treatment of hematological diseases, as well as in surgical interventions» - Tatyana Gaponova, First Deputy Director of the National Medical Research Center for Hematology, Chief Transfusiologist of the Russian Ministry of Health.

Olga Mayorova, Chief Physician of the Blood Center named after O.K. Gavrilov, chief transfusiologist of the Central Federal District noted that 1,398 blood donations, 321 plasma donations and 498 platelet donations are made in Moscow every day. In terms of the scale of blood donation, no region can compare with the capital. Among the problems faced by the Moscow Blood Service, she named the lack of interest of employers in the development of donation, the growing proportion of the elderly population, and the consequences of the pandemic.

Yaroslav Glazov, Deputy Director for Medical Affairs of the Blood Center of the FMBA of Russia, spoke about the work of the federal portal of the Blood Service Yadonor.ru, which provides up-to-date and reliable information on blood donation, contains information about the institutions of the Blood Service located in all regions of Russia. The portal is under constant development and in the near future services for non-profit organizations and volunteer associations will be added. Yaroslav Glazov also spoke about the Blood Service's mobile application, which allows you to keep track of donations, receive information about test results and plan donations by signing up through the application. He also said that from October 2022, registration for a donation is available on the State Service portal.

Olesya Nazarova, Head of the Medical and Social Programs Department of the Russian Red Cross, spoke about approaches to promoting blood and bone marrow donation, the concept of the Russian Red Cross to support donors. Among them are educational practices, webinars as well as a system of achievements and rewards on the way of donation.

Tigran Muradyan, Head of the Medical Department, of Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, head of the university's largest donor movement in Moscow, drew attention to the problems associated with plasma quarantine. In order for the blood components to be transferred to the clinic, a second analysis of the donor is required. Some donors are unaware of the importance of a return visit to blood centers. That is why the work of the donor movement of the Russian National Research Medical University is focused on the development of regular donation.

On the forum, the participants of the donor movement had the opportunity to communicate and learn from leading experts in the field of communications and motivation. The organizers of the event thank the forum experts for interesting, motivating master-classes: Tamara Kartasheva, business and media trainer, media expert of the «Leaders of Russia. Politics», winner of the TEFI award, author of a textbook of rhetoric; Maryam Tkacheva, psychologist, director, business coach, lecturer at the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation, the Russian School of Management and the «Ostankino TV» School of Television; Nina Popova, Advisor to the Director of the National Medical Research Center of Oncology named after N.N. Blokhin for internal and external communications, head of the press service of the cancer center; Ekaterina Kann, psychologist, business coach, political strategist, Coach ICF, laureate of the governor's award in the field of educational programs of the Moscow region.

The forum of the donor management ended with a solemn ceremony of awarding the participants of the Moscow donor marathon «Knocking on the hearts. Chefs are nearby», which was carried out in the same breath by blood donors - Artem Khvorostukhin, the voice and face of most Russian and foreign extreme events, TV presenter, author of his own program «Restless Night» and «Unreality Show» on the 2x2 channel and Vsevolod Kushchinsky, director , TV presenter and chief producer of various projects on the NTV, Sport, My Planet TV channels, founder and CEO of the Tochka Otryva TV channel, author of the «Svoi Ludi» program.