BY SHARON BUWERIMWE THE country is said to be facing a shortage of blood due to lack of resources to collect it from donors, the National Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ) has revealed.
Speaking to NewsDay yesterday, NBSZ chief executive Lucy Marowa said while people were willing to donate blood, there were inadequate resources such as blood bags and test kits to collect the blood.
“The problem is not about blood donors, it is about resources. We are running short of resources that are a challenge on our side in terms of blood collection.
“Donors are there and they are willing to donate. As an organisation, we are constrained in terms of the resources that we need in order for us to collect the blood that we need,” she said. “It is a myriad of challenges. It is not only financial problems, but logistics and access to foreign currency, among other things. The bottom line is we do not have blood bags and test kits at the moment. The issue of blood donations is a very emotional one. People will come out in their numbers to donate so that they can save lives and mobilise people to donate.
“If we do not have blood bags to collect blood, definitely donors will be turned away, that is another serious problem. The shortage of blood is affecting both public and private institutions alike, and there is no preferential treatment on the basis of financial well-being.”
Marowa urged blood donors to keep on donating, adding that they would continue collecting blood using the little resources at their disposal.
Recently, NBSZ spokesperson Kuda Chidziya said the blood situation needed immediate intervention.
“As NBSZ, we are short of all blood types. Statistically, we are below our average stocks and we cannot even meet a day’s demands. With this, we continuously urge people to donate blood,” Chidziya said.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“The shortage has been perpetuated by the recent closure of schools. That is where we get most of our blood. There are also other factors which are beyond our control.”
