Tinomuda Chakanyuka

Midlands Correspondent

NATIONAL Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ) has launched a nationwide campaign aimed at encouraging adults between the ages of 30-65 to donate blood.

The campaign comes against a background of revelations that the age group contributes a paltry 20 percent of the national bloodstocks while consuming 80 percent of the same.

Schoolchildren who are the least consumers of blood, through transfusion, contribute 75 percent of the national blood stocks, while Pledge 25 Club, a group of youth who pledge to donate blood 25 times in their life time, contribute the remainder, 15 percent.

Addressing Journalists at the Gweru Press Club last week, NBSZ Midlands provincial Customer Relations Officer Mr Aggrey Ngazana said  the Donor Mobilisation Campaign aims at increasing the adult donor base from 29 percent to 40 percent while at the same time increasing the donor retention from 36 percent to 40 percent respectively.

Mr Ngazana said the campaign would run in all the country’s 10 provinces during the school holiday period under the “Blood, Give Life! Tagline Every drop counts.

“The campaign is targeted at the 30-65 age groups who consume 80 percent of the blood that is collected.  The theme of the campaign is Give Blood, Give Life! Tagline; Every drop counts. The campaign will be concentrated on the holiday period,” he said.

Mr Ngazana revealed that NBSZ is also planning to form an adult club, “Centurion Club”, as part of the organisation’s drive to encourage adults to donate blood.

He said “Centurion Club” will be modelled in the same manner with Pledge 25 but comprising of adults between the ages 30-65.

The Pledge 25 Club is a grouping of youths who have pledged to donate blood 25 times in their life time.

“Plans are in progress to form an adult club “Centurion Club” that will assist in recruiting adult donors.

The Pledge 25 Club continues to be a strong arm of the NBSZ that has seen it embarking on a number of blood drives to boost the collections.  They contribute over 11 percent of the total collections,” said Mr Ngazana.

The NBSZ provincial Customer Relations Officer said in the Midlands province the campaign will start on 9 August in Gokwe’s Cheziya area.

He added that on 11 August NBSZ will also host a ladies gala where young ladies will be encouraged to donate blood.

“From Gokwe we will move to Shurugwi, Ironsides Hall, then move to Zvishavane’s Chiedza Hall before going to paCentre Hall in Mvuma.

Our final destination will be Chivhu,” he said.

Mr Ngazana said the blood drives are meant to curb blood shortages that NBSZ  normally experiences during school holidays, when school children, the biggest blood donors, would be away from school.

He went on to reveal that NBSZ targets to collect 800 units of blood in the Midlands province against a consumption rate of 200 to 250 units per month.