The National Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ) aims to collect 88,430 units of blood by the end of 2024 as part of efforts to bolster its reserves amidst declining stock levels.
To achieve this goal, NBSZ has launched a nationwide campaign running from December 6 to January 14, with the target of collecting 7,460 units of blood during the period.
Speaking to journalists in Harare last week, NBSZ Chief Executive Lucy Marowa revealed that the organization currently has only a one-day supply of blood for group O and a five-day supply for other blood types. She said (via <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200036030/nbsz-moves-to-build-reserves-amid-low-stocks">NewsDay</a>):
<blockquote>
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.
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.
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Mrowa also pleaded with young people who have pledged to donate at least 25 times before turning 30 to address the blood shortage, to come forward during this period. She said:
<blockquote>
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 made an undertaking to donate blood at least 25 times in their lives before they turn the age of 30.
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.
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Pindula News

The National Blood Services Zimbabwe needs more blood. They want to collect 88,430 units by 2024. They have a campaign to collect 7,460 units from December 6 to January 14. The CEO says they are low on blood, especially for group O. Most blood comes from high school students, but schools are closed now. They are asking young people to donate 25 times before turning 30 to help. Anyone aged 16 to 65 and healthy can donate. There are mobile clinics all over the country. They need more people to donate blood to help those in need.

National Blood Services Zimbabwe Faces Severe Blood Shortage

The National Blood Services of Zimbabwe (NBSZ) will on 6 January 2022, reward blood donors with fuel coupons backed by Redan Petroleum.
Blood donors can claim a 5-litre fuel coupon tomorrow from the participating sites, namely Redan Greencroft in Harare, Redan Flyover in Mutare, and Bulawayo’s Redan Bellevue.
NBSZ communications officer Kudakwashe Chidziya told The Herald that the initiative is aimed at boosting the national blood bank. Chidziya said:
<blockquote>
The partnership initiative is meant to intensify blood collections. Under this strategic partnership with Redan, which also considered the initiative under its corporate social responsibility programme, we as NBSZ and Redan saw it fit to give back to the community and our blood donors who are always supportive of saving lives through blood donations.
We are anticipating a huge turnout and we are hopeful that we can boost our stocks with at least 30 percent of our adequate stocks.
The campaign is only for January 6 and is open to anyone who would want to donate blood at the highlighted Redan sites on the flyer.
Our stocks are critically low which even saw us opening on January 2 for donors despite it being a holiday. We need to intensify our collections so that we have adequate stocks.
Currently, we are short of blood group type O and we appeal to O donors to come and donate.
For Harare and Bulawayo branches, statistical data shows that we are only having a day’s supply which shows how low our stocks are and at times we are unable to meet the required daily demand.
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Zimbabwe requires an average daily supply of 315 units of blood groups A and AB to cover cases of trauma and emergencies countrywide. | <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/fuel-coupons-for-blood-donors/">The Herald</a>

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