15 Jun 2016

Blood donation is a gift of life and love coming from deep within one’s heart to save lives of fellow human beings, it is one of the most humane but understated gifts one can give.

Speaking at the commemoration of the World Blood Donor Day on Tuesday, World Health Organisation (WHO) representative Dr Martins Ovberedjo said the day enables countries to educate and mobilise their communities to donate “this important but scarce life-saving commodity.”

He said blood comes with a number of safety issues and WHO came up with tools including the Global Framework for Action on Voluntary Blood Donation, which provides guidance on and promotes voluntary unremunerated or unpaid blood donation.

Dr Ovberedjo said voluntary unpaid donors are safest group of donors as prevalence of blood-borne diseases is lowest among them, therefore encouraged all countries to aim for 100 per cent blood supplies from voluntary unpaid donors by 2020.

He congratulated Botswana for being ahead of many countries regarding the blood screening, which should be performed according to the quality system requirements.

District Health Management Team coordinator for Francistown, Dr Gobezie Solomon expressed his gratitude to the voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their lifesaving gifts as it helps save millions of lives every year and helps patients suffering from life threatening conditions to live longer.

“Transfusion of blood and blood products supports complex medical and surgical procedures. It also has an essential lifesaving role in maternal and child care and during natural disasters,” he added.

He said Botswana National Blood Transfusion is required to collect 40 000 blood units per year. However the two centres of Gaborone and Francistown have never reached the target for the past five years, which called for the decentralization of blood collections.

Dr Solomon said the establishment of blood collection sites had a positive impact as 6 464 units of blood were collected in 2015 and for the first time since the creation of the National Blood Transfusion Service in 200, have reached the milestone of 27 000 units.

He applauded the DHMTs for impressive results and encouraged them to continue working hard for the improvement of blood situation in the country.

Dr Solomon encouraged the public to start donating blood and those who are donors to make it a life time commitment and be motivated to have a sense of moral duty to help those in need of blood in contribution to the Vision 2016 pillar of a caring and compassionate nation.

He extended his gratitude to secondary school children for taking the lead in blood collection activities, the Pledge 25, which has contributed tremendously by raising awareness on blood donation, especially during the time when schools are closed.

“In 2015 secondary schools contributed around 9 246 units compared to other panels making them the highest and they continue to be the main contributors in the country,” he added.

He thanked the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) Botswana for the newly constructed centre in Francistown, which was built with the assistance of the government of the United States of America (USA) through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

“The centre houses blood collection and laboratory facilities in the Central Business District, which makes it accessible to blood donors from Francistown and neighbouring villages,” he said.

Blood recipient, Ms Boitumelo Kenosi expressed her gratitude to the blood donors, saying they have saved her life.

She said she was involved in a car accident in 2008 and had a spinal injury, also losing a lot of blood and was saved because someone out there decided to donate blood.

Mr Kenosi said it is important to donate blood for those who might need it and encouraged people to start donating as no one chooses when and who will need the blood one day.

A blood donor, Mr Wabona Mokgosi said he started donating blood in 2004, noting it instills discipline in an individual’s life as there are certain standards the blood is supposed to meet to be considered clean.ENDS