The Malta Blood Donors Association (MBDA), in collaboration with the International Federation of Blood Donor Organisations (IFBDO), is organising an international conference about co-operation by Mediterranean countries for the development of non-remunerated blood donation.

This initiative was prompted by the African and European delegations of the IFBDO and aims at designing a co-operation plan among the IFBDO members' blood donor organisations in the Mediterranean area.

The event is being perceived as experimental and is itself the first experience of co-operation programmes that will be promoted by IFBDO between 2002 and 2004.

The conference will highlight efforts by the IFBDO for the development of blood donor associations in Mediterranean countries; 50 delegates from around 20 African and European countries will be discussing and sharing experiences on the implementation of strategies and programmes aimed at blood donor recruiting and maintaining.

Maltese delegates will outline the current developments and vision portrayed in the national awareness campaign recently launched by the Malta Blood Donors' Association advocating more regular blood donations by individuals and working groups.

Dr Alex Aquilina, director of the Blood Transfusion Centre, will also outline the national blood transfusion plan and, in particular, the role played by blood donor organisations and their relationship with Government and transfusion services.

Speakers include Dr Pasquale Colamartino, president of IFBDO, and the general secretary, Dr Niels Mikkelsen from Denmark.

The International Federation will also hold its executive council meeting during the three-day conference.

The conference which is open to all NGOs and the public, is being held at the Oracle Conference Centre, New Dolmen Hotel, Qawra.

The Minister of Health will officially open the conference on Friday at 3 p.m. and it will end at noon on Sunday, with a closing address by President Guido de Marco.