Online Reporter
Mashudu Mambo, Health Reporter
THE National Blood Service Zimbabwe (NBSZ) has launched a blood components beneficiary policy for blood donors who have donated blood more than 10 times.
This policy covers the donor’s biological parents, children or spouse in an event they require blood transfusion services.
In a statement, the NBSZ indicated that they are committed to ensuring that the lives of their donors are catered for.
“The NBSZ remains steadfast in its commitment to appreciating and supporting our dedicated blood donors.
“We would like to announce that NBSZ has a blood components beneficiary policy designed to ensure that our donors are adequately recognised and cared for.
“Under this policy, blood donors who have given blood 10 times or more, with their last donation made within the past 12 months are entitled to free blood for their biological parents, children or spouse in the event that they require blood for transfusion purposes,” read the statement.
NBSZ indicated that this is a way to appreciate their donors who have played a huge role in saving lives.
“At the NBSZ, we greatly appreciate blood donors as their contributions save countless lives and we do understand the public’s interest in knowing how blood is managed and distributed.
“The Government of Zimbabwe has made a significant commitment to ensuring that blood is available free of charge to all patients in public hospitals.
“The Government launched this free blood initiative in the year 2018. The initiative aims to provide free blood and blood products to vulnerable groups in public health institutions,” read the statement.
NBSZ stated that they are committed to ensuring transparency and efficiency in the health care sector.
“It is therefore important to note that no patient pays for blood in public hospitals because the blood is paid for by the Government of Zimbabwe.
“Once blood is dispatched from the NBSZ to healthcare facilities, it is managed by those institutions and NBSZ does not have direct control over how the blood is distributed or accessed by patients.
“However, NBSZ remains committed to working closely with healthcare providers to ensure transparency and efficiency in the system,” read the statement.
NBSZ plays a critical role in ensuring that they give patients safe and sustainable blood in times of need.
“Our mission as an organisation is to provide innovative blood services that meet world-class standards, ensuring safety, accessibility and excellence in healthcare.
“While blood itself is donated freely by generous individuals, the process of making it safe and available for transfusion involves significant costs.
“These costs are essential to maintaining the integrity of the blood supply chain. It is important to understand that once blood is donated, it does not go directly for transfusion.
Instead, it undergoes rigorous testing for infections, blood grouping, separation into components, safe storage and then distribution,” the statement further reads.
NBSZ indicated that they take crucial steps in ensuring that they provide the public with safe blood.
“There are processes that we have in ensuring that people have access to clean and safe blood.
The processes include testing that each unit of donated blood is thoroughly tested in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations in the laboratory for infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C, syphilis among others.
“This ensures that the blood is free from pathogens. In simple terms a pathogen is basically anything microscopic that can invade the body and can lead to disease.
“Therefore, these tests are necessary so that we ensure that the recipients are protected during transfusion,” read the statement.
