About Us 

Blood Donor International is a daughter organization of Health Care Volunteers International (hcvi.org). HCVI is a registered not for profit organization based in Washington, D.C. with international scope and healthcare related projects in multiple developing countries. 

Blood Donor International was formed in September of 2010 in the country of Guinea Equatorial and was incorporated under the umbrella of Health Care Volunteers International in January of 2014.

Mission Statement

Blood Donor International is dedicated to helping to provide a safe and reliable source of blood products in the developing world.

Membership

Blood Donor International is a member of the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) and the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) 

Background

In times of need, access to a safe and reliable source of blood products can be LIFE-SAVING!

Blood product shortages are experienced throughout the world on a daily basis.  This problem is magnified in developing nations where blood-borne disease and limited resources further compromise availability and safety of blood products.  Individuals suffer and lives are lost daily because blood products are not available for transfusion.  

History

Blood Donor International was formed in September 2010 while Dr. Duggan was employed in the country of Guinea Equatorial as medical director for HESS Corporation. The country at the time had NEVER had an established system of collecting and storing donated blood. As a consequence, in times of need, there was zero availability. This was a grave concern for Dr. Duggan, as medical director of HESS - Guinea Equatorial, in regards to the employees under his care, working in a remote country.

Rapidly a creative solution evolved, that went beyond the concerns of HESS and resulted in the establishment of the first national blood donation program, directed by Blood Donor International. Like many other developing countries, Guinea Equatorial experiences serious concerns in regards to blood-borne disease that not only limit but often make a blood donor program reliant on the national population as donors nonviable.

The unique solution that evolved involved the creation and development of a program that targeted specifically the expat community and employees of international corporations and focused on repetitive donations among these individuals. Blood Donor International went from an idea in weeks to an active national program following international standards. 

Routine blood donation collections directed by Blood Donor International and coordinated with one of the primary hospitals, La Paz (Bata, Guinea Equatorial), began to provide a regular supply for treatment of the national as well as expat population, Additionally, an emergency donor registry database was created that could be accessed to provide immediate donors in the case of emergency.

The program was very inexpensive to establish and operate and Dr. Duggan cites it as "bang for the buck" one of the best things he has done in his long volunteer career. He goes on to state, "It is important to understand corporate needs and the desire of larger corporations to fulfill corporate social responsibility goals. The formation of Blood Donor International in Guinea Equatorial is an excellent example how corporate needs and goals can be aligned with those of the communities in which they operate." 

Blood Donor International is looking forward to expanded growth, as HCVI establishes a greater presence in the country. The additional resources and personnel that other HCVI projects will bring will help fuel Blood Donor International growth.

Meanwhile, in February of 2016, Blood Donor International signed a long-term partnership agreement with the National Blood Transfusion Center (NBTC) of Cambodia. Blood Donor International is assisting and providing guidance to the NBTC in order to improve marketing and streamline the collection process. There are routine dire shortages and annual collection is far short of estimated needs. Blood Donor International feels it can leverage technology to drive more efficient processes and the establishment of a repetitive donor program. It is our goal to directly contribute to at least a 10% increase in collections in year one of partnership. The first blood donation collection sponsored by Blood Donor International took place on March 5, 2016 at the HCVI Medical Library, located at the National Pediatric Hospital in Phnom Penh. Routine events like this, sponsored by BDI, are planned for the future.

Frank Duggan, M.D.
Founder

Managing Director
Medical Director

​Blood Donor International​