Public urged to donate blood as soon as possible

traffic accidents, approaches.
National Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ) said unless people come forward to donate blood, lives could be lost because of the shortage.
The national blood bank is at 2 352 units against the national requirement of 5 200 units. The requirement rises during the festive season.
“This festive season, we are urgently appealing to the public as we draw closer to Christmas to donate so that we have enough to see us through the festive season into January,” said NBSZ spokesperson Ms Esther Massundah.
“There is a higher demand for blood during the festive season.”
The increase in road traffic accidents during the festive season is the major cause of the demand for blood.
Ms Massundah said to increase people’s willingness to donate blood, her organisation partnered with the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe in a nationwide awareness campaign.
The campaign would be running under the theme: “Decade of action for road safety, be a part of it by donating blood and help save victims of traffic accidents”.
“The objectives of the campaign are to ensure that NBSZ meets the national requirements by ensuring that there is enough blood in the blood bank,” said Ms Massundah.
“This will be done through educating the public about the importance of blood donation and how it saves lives.”
Ms Massundah said awareness points would be set up throughout the country with teams in Bulawayo, Chinhoyi, Gweru, Harare, Masvingo and Mutare.
She said the campaign would be timely done during the festive season with teams distributing fliers to motorists travelling on busy roads.
“The police will assist in the slowing down of traffic so that the campaign teams will be able to give out the flyers and any other material,” said Ms Massundah.
To complement the festive season campaign, Ms Massundah said NBSZ had monthly donor campaigns aimed at addressing seasonal blood shortages.
The campaign dubbed: “Youth donor month”, was launched in 2006 and is held throughout the month of December every year.
It incorporates Ordinary and Advanced Level pupils who failed to give blood because of examination commitments.
The NBSZ is looking forward to collecting at least 4 000 units of blood during the campaign.
Ms Massundah said her organisation had collected about 1 800 units of blood from a youth donor day held on 3 December.
She assured the nation of quality blood and blood products from her organisation.