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Country's blood bank runs dry
The Herald (Zimbabwe)
September 07, 2005

http://www.herald.co.zw/index.php?id=46686&pubdate=2005-09-07

THE country’s blood bank has virtually run dry and people have been called to donate blood, the National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS) spokesman has said.

Although the blood bank required at least 3 000 units at any given time there was only 650 units in the blood bank - a highly worrying figure.

In an interview, NBTS spokesman Mr Emmanuel Masvikeni said the shortage of blood was because school children were on holidays.

Schoolchildren constitute 75 percent of people who donate blood in the country and NBTS collected most of its blood during the school term.

Adults have largely remained hesitant to donate blood due to a combination of factors with one being the fear of the unknown.

If one tests positive for HIV, syphilis or any other transmissible infections, the blood bank advised them not to donate again.

In addition, some potential blood donors moved to other places around the country during Operation Murambatsvina/Restore Order, said Mr Masvikeni.

"There is a combination of factors leading to our current situation. For instance, there are some of our regular donors who, due to Operation Restore Order, moved to other places without leaving forwarding addresses, meaning we have no way of following them up.

"The other problem is because of the high transport costs. People cannot be bothered to come into our clinics and donate. And as usual, there has always been a group of adults who just do not want to risk testing positive for the unknown," he said.

However, now that the school term had begun, NBTS was optimistic that it would be able to boost its stocks within a short period of time.

Another positive development was that the NBTS had identified a rich blood donor group in the police recruits and national youth service training centres.

"We tapped into these centres during the school holiday and found them to be very rich sources and as such we shall continue to utilise them as blood donors.

"In certain communities like Chitungwiza, we also have programmes and once in a while we go to these areas to enable our donors as well as potential donors the opportunity to come forth," he said.

When the situation is normal and ideal, NBTS expected to get at least eight people voluntarily coming into its clinics throughout the country to give blood.

Three years ago the blood bank used to get as many as 60 people voluntarily donating blood.

"That is how bad things have become and I can only ask that people remember that donating blood means saving a life, today it can be yours or someone close to you," he said.

The national blood bank supplies blood to the country’s hospitals, both public and private.

Accident victims and women in labour are some people whose lives could be saved by getting a safe blood transfusion at an opportune time.

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