Further blood slash expected

Paidamoyo Chipunza Senior Health Reporter
The cost of blood is expected to further go down from the current $80 per pint in public health institutions following further considerations by Government, Health and Child Care secretary Dr Gerald Gwinji has said.

This development is part of Government’s efforts to restore normalcy at the country’s sole blood transfusion company following a myriad of challenges, which were impacting negatively on both the cost of blood and its availability in health institutions.

“We have strategised around further reduction of blood costs and we will be announcing the actual reductions shortly,” said Dr Gwinji. He said the Ministry was also expected to submit principles of the proposed Blood Donation and Blood Transfusion Bill to Cabinet soon. This Bill, Dr Gwinji said, was anticipated to better regulate National Blood Transfusion Services, which has not been properly regulated since it was registered as a private voluntary organisation.

This has seen blood donors at logger-heads with the board over governance issues, transparency and accountability without reaching consensus for a long time. Dr Gwinji said in light of these developments, Government had also compelled the NBTS Board to hold an emergency general meeting by January 15 to address issues raised by blood donors in their petition.

“We are in dialogue with the board,” Dr Gwinji said. “We expect them to call for and hold an EGM by 15 January 2018 to allow members to express their views and opinions and chart the way forward.”

In their petition to the board requesting the EGM, the blood donors threatened to stop donating blood if their concerns were not addressed. Recently, Government made an appeal to blood donors to continue donating blood, while the governance issues at the company were being resolved. This call follows revelations that national blood stocks had began to dwindle owing to blood donor apathy and the NBTS was struggling to meet the national demand resulting in shortages in health institutions.

“Whilst a comprehensive lasting solution is being pursued, the Ministry of Health and Child Care is appealing to all those who can voluntarily donate blood to do so as the blood bank is critically low on stock,” reads part of Government’s appeal for blood donation. As the festive season approaches, the blood bank needs to be well prepared for the high demand for blood and blood products associated with this period.”

NBTS spokesperson Ms Ether Massundah said stocks remained critical with the bank sitting on blood enough for five days. Ms Massundah said NBSZ continue with blood drive campaigns to re-boost the blood bank in preparation for the festive season, which is normally associated with high demand of blood due to road carnage on top of the usual uses of blood.