The Sunday News
Mbongeni Msimanga Sunday News Correspondent
THE National Blood Services of Zimbabwe (NBSZ) and co-operating partners have launched the National Blood Day campaign with more emphasis being placed on the need to pay tribute to blood donors, an official has said.
In an interview with Sunday News, NBSZ Matabeleland public relations officer Mr Sifundo Ngwenya said this year’s celebrations would be held on 13 June under the theme: “Thank You for Saving My Life”.
Mr Ngwenya said they had already set up committees that will help build momentum for the celebrations.
“Preparations are at an advanced stage for us to celebrate this year’s World Blood Donor Day. We have already set up committees that are building up momentum for the day,” Mr Ngwenya said.
He said those who have saved lives courtesy of blood donations and raising awareness would be celebrated.
“This year’s campaign will seek to focus on the amount of lives that are saved courtesy of blood donations. We are also hoping to reach out to more blood donors so we have more volumes of blood donations throughout the country,” said Mr Ngwenya.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there is a need to persuade ministries of health to show their appreciation of regular voluntary blood donations.
WHO also states that there is a need to allocate enough resources for blood donations so that more lives are saved.
“Our main aim is to persuade ministries of health to show their appreciation of regular voluntary unpaid donors and provide adequate resources to provide quality donor care,” said WHO in a statement.
This year the campaign aims to highlight stories from people whose lives have been saved through blood donations, as a way of motivating regular blood donors to continue giving blood and people in good health who have never given blood.
Every year countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day and the event serves to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood and to raise awareness of the need for regular blood donations to ensure quality, safety and availability of blood and blood products for patients in need.
In general, the transfusion of blood and blood products helps save lives every year and patients suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer and with higher quality of life, and supports complex medical and surgical procedures.
However, in many countries, demand exceeds supply, and blood services face the challenge of making sufficient blood available, while also ensuring its quality and safety. An adequate supply can only be assured through regular donations by voluntary unpaid blood donors.
