adminPost Correspondent
MUTARE Boys’ High School came out first in the 2014/15 NetOne sponsored annual National Blood Transfusion Services provincial competition, while nationally they were sixth.
The winner at national level was Gweru’s Progress College.
For emerging as the provincial winners, the school recently received from NetOne a floating shield and a printer, two computers and two dongles.
NBTS public relations manager, Mr Nick Muparutsa, said the competition was meant to actively involve schools to help replenish the national blood blank.
The competition has been running since 2007 under the sponsorship of the mobile phone operator, NetOne.
“The annual competition is open to all schools countrywide registered with us as blood donors.
“We found it as a necessary cog to actively involve schools in blood donations and ever since the competitions began in 2007, present-day, 75 percent of our blood units nationally come from High Schools.
“Blood cannot be manufactured, but it is a vital element that saves lives in the event of traffic accidents and surgical operations, so we urge other schools to come and join the annual competition and save lives,” said Mr Muparutsa.
Mutare District Administrator, Mr Cosmas Chiringa, said replenishing the country’s blood bank was important especially when the country each year recorded soaring casualties from traffic accidents.
“Each day we lose our loved ones due to various ailments some mostly related to blood loss and traffic accidents. So it is important that we save lives by donating blood. You do not know whose life you will be saving tomorrow, maybe it is your relative,” said Mr Chiringa.
Mr Chiringa, however, urged parents to take the button stick from children given that 75-percent of the national blood donations were coming from schools.
Mutare Boys’ High School head, Mr Matthew Tondoya, said he was happy that his school was setting precedence on blood donation in the province.
He encouraged every school in the province to join the noble cause citing that such thoughtfulness by students was the first step towards understanding the concept of ubuntu (humanity to others).
MBHS Health Club patron, Mr Kudakwashe Dube, applauded the senior’s students, Upper Sixs and Lower Sixs for leading by example as the highest donors.
To become a winner in the competition the NBTS weighs the total number of students that donate blood against the school’s enrolment.
Last year Tsvingwe High School was the provincial winner while the year before Sakubva 2 High School grabbed the first prize.
Meanwhile, NetOne emerged as the first runners-up in the top Information and Communication Technology Company of the year category at the recently held Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce awards ceremony.
The mobile service provider bagged four merit awards as the first runner-up best corporate social responsibility programme, most innovative start-up, the most convenient mobile network and a community empowerment award.
Online Reporter