Sundaymail Editor
Bruce Ndlovu
Online Reporter
NEWLY elected Junior Mayor Kian Hawa has pledged to address Bulawayo’s blood shortage problem by collaborating with schools to increase donations from learners across the city.
Hawa, a learner at Christian Brothers College, was inaugurated as the Junior Mayor of Bulawayo on March 28, alongside Kinton Mpofu, who was sworn in as Junior Town Clerk.
In December, the National Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ) reported a critical blood shortage nationwide, with some blood types only having a single day’s supply.
Hawa said after recognising shortages even in the city’s leading hospitals, he has made organising a city-wide blood drive a key priority of his term.
“I want to implement a blood drive across the entire city, with each school conducting its own drive. I am taking charge of this initiative because I understand that blood shortage is a significant issue,” he said.
“We aim to support the NBSZ and provide assistance to all individual hospitals. Even Mater Dei, the city’s premier hospital, experiences blood shortages, which is unacceptable.
“We have learnt that people are forced to travel outside the city to obtain blood and this needs to change.”
Hawa also expressed his intention to prioritise the establishment of a recreational centre to combat the widespread abuse of drugs and other illicit substances.
“We want to encourage youth participation in more recreational activities. One of my proposals is to create a youth recreational centre. This facility will be supervised by the council, providing a safe environment for young people to gather and interact,” he said.
Online Reporter