Chronicle Editor
Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Health Reporter
MPILO Central Hospital healthcare workers have joined the drive to donate blood to boost the blood bank as national stocks are critically low.
The National Blood Services of Zimbabwe (NBSZ) recently raised concern over the dwindling supplies of blood owing to Covid-19 restrictions which have resulted in the closure of schools.
School pupils account for more than 70 percent of the blood donations and following the closure of schools as part of measures to contain the spread of the pandemic, very little blood is being collected.
Last week the NBSZ announced that the country desperately needed blood group O which is the most used in transfusions.
A pint of blood can save three lives and blood is usually needed by pregnant women during delivery, accident victims and patients requiring surgery.
NBSZ said the bank had less than a day’s supply of blood group 0 and appealed to members of the public to come forward and donate blood.
Dr Misheck Ruwende from Mpilo Central Hospital who mobilised staff to donate blood, said it was important for healthcare workers to also contribute in saving the lives of those who needed blood.
He said people are already coming in their numbers to support the Mpilo initiative including members of the public.
“As a health worker I’m witnessing daily, the impact of lack of blood in hospitals, especially now when the schools are closed for longer periods due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The pregnant women need blood and when they do, it will be an emergency, also the accident victims and others illnesses which can demand blood transfusion,” said Dr Ruwende.
He said there was no alternative for blood transfusion and as such the country needs to have adequate stocks at any given time to save lives.
Dr Ruwende therefore urged members of the public to come forward and donate blood.
“The NBSZ depends on donors and therefore it is incumbent upon all citizens to play their role in saving lives by donating blood. It is unfortunate that the NBSZ’s usual donors, the school pupils, cannot donate blood because schools are closed.This has resulted in severe shortage of blood throughout the country,” said Dr Ruwende.
He said what has to be appreciated is that the seven minutes one takes in donating blood can give someone years of life.
“Remember that it can be me, you or your loved one who might be saved by the blood that you donate today. I am conviced that if we join hands as the people of Bulawayo, as the people of Zimbabwe, this problem will be solved easily,” said Dr Ruwende.
The NBSZ southern region blood donor coordinator Mr Sifundo Ngwenya said he was grateful to Mpilo healthcare workers for rallying behind the blood bank.
He said even those who have been vaccinated are eligible to donate blood and can go to any NBSZ clinic at least 14 days after their jabs.
“Mpilo clinicians have come together to assist us with blood as our blood stocks are very low and we are appealing to members of the public to do the same. Those who have been inoculated can donate after 14 days,” said Mr Ngwenya.
He said more than three quarters of healthcare workers that are donating blood at Mpilo have been vaccinated. — @thamamoe
Online Reporter