National Blood Services Zimbabwe Faces Severe Blood Shortage
The National Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ) aims to collect 88,430 units of blood by the end of 2024 as part of efforts to bolster its reserves amidst declining stock levels.
To achieve this goal, NBSZ has launched a nationwide campaign running from December 6 to January 14, with the target of collecting 7,460 units of blood during the period.
Speaking to journalists in Harare last week, NBSZ Chief Executive Lucy Marowa revealed that the organization currently has only a one-day supply of blood for group O and a five-day supply for other blood types. She said (via NewsDay):
From January to November 2024, the target was to collect 80 970 whole blood units but we managed to collect 71 544 units and our target [for the year] is 88 430 units.
Total collections for 2023 were 7 0187 while 2024 collections to date have already surpassed 2 023. The target for December 2024, the festive season month, is 7,460 whole blood units.
Most of the blood that we get in the country comes primarily from the school-going age, with over 70% of our collections coming in from the high school.
So, when schools are closed, as they are right now, as they have recently closed in the past week, there is a gap that is created.
Mrowa also pleaded with young people who have pledged to donate at least 25 times before turning 30 to address the blood shortage, to come forward during this period. She said:
We had already started with the Pledge 25 blood collections. The Pledge 25 is a group of young men and women who have recently left school and made an undertaking to donate blood at least 25 times in their lives before they turn the age of 30.
We urge all able-bodied Zimbabweans between the ages of 16 and 65, in good health and weighing over 50kg, to come forward and donate blood.
Our mobile clinics will be operating throughout the country and we encourage the public to take advantage of these services.
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