THE National Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ) is targeting to collect 88 430 units of blood by the end of 2024 as it seeks to build reserves amid dwindling stocks.
NBSZ launched a campaign running from December 6 to January 14 to collect 7 460 units of blood across the country during the period.
Addressing journalists in Harare last week, NBSZ chief executive Lucy Marowa said the campaign came at a critical time during the school holiday, adding that they had a day’s stock for group O type and a five-day supply for other types.
“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,” she said.
Marowa, however, said the campaign came at a critical time when schools are closed, factories are shut down and workspaces are reduced.
“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,” she said.
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Marowa also called on young men and women, who have pledged to donate at least 25 times before turning 30 to address the blood shortage, to come forward during this period of school holiday.
“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 make an undertaking to donate blood at least 25 times in their lives before they turn the age of 30,” she said.
“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.”
The campaign is in response to concerns that blood supplies may run short around the Christmas and New Year's holidays, when the majority of road accidents occur.
