Online Reporter
Trust Freddy
Herald Correspondent
THE National Blood Service Zimbabwe (NBSZ) will host this year’s World Blood Donor Day national commemorations in Bulawayo on Friday, June 12, 2026, two days earlier than the actual day.
While the global event is traditionally marked on June 14, the national blood bank has moved the local commemoration forward by two days to maximise public participation in the Matabeleland region.
Speaking at a media briefing ahead of the event, NBSZ chief executive officer Ms Lucy Marowa revealed that this year’s commemorations will run under the global theme, “One drop of Humanity: Give Blood, Save Lives.”
“That single drop, when it is offered freely and multiplied by many, becomes a river of survival – for accident victims, for mothers facing complications in childbirth, for patients living with severe anaemia, for those battling cancer, and for so many others,” Ms. Marowa said.
“It tells us that our humanity is not defined by how much we have, but by what we are willing to give of ourselves,” she added.
The upcoming commemorations follow the procurement of a state-of-the-art Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) machine by the NBSZ, a move aimed at drastically upgrading the country’s blood safety protocols.
The acquisition was financed and supported by the Ministry of Health and Child Care alongside the National AIDS Council (NAC).
Ms Marowa described the implementation of the NAT system as a major technological milestone that brings Zimbabwe in line with international clinical standards.
“The NAT machine brings a more advanced, highly sensitive way of screening donated blood for infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C,” she said.
“It detects the genetic material of these viruses, dramatically shortening the window period – that vulnerable space between infection and the moment a test can reliably pick it up.
“With this technology, we are aligning ourselves with health systems around the world that put patient safety above all else.
“Our goal is simple, and it is absolute: to provide the safest possible blood to every mother, every child, every accident victim who entrusts their life to us.”
Despite the advanced capabilities of the new testing equipment, the NBSZ chief reminded the public that clinical blood supplies still depend entirely on voluntary human donors.
She issued an urgent appeal to healthy citizens between the ages of 16 and 65 to proactively visit blood collection centres across the country to boost reserves ahead of the winter season.
“To the men and women who already donate – our silent heroes – you are the reason many people are alive today,” Ms Marowa said.
“Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts. If you are healthy and between the ages of 16 and 65, please walk into any of our blood donation centres. You do not need a special occasion to save a life – you only need a willing heart.”
