16 Jun 2019

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is committed to ensuring adequate blood supply.

Speaking during the World Blood Donor Day in Selebi Phikwe on June 14, Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr Setlhomo Lelatisitswe, said appropriate measures must be taken to maintain quality and safety of transfused blood.

“It is my ministry’s commitment to provide necessary resources to ensure that blood given to patients is safe,” he said.

He said the ministry had put in place strategies that supported vigorous testing of donated blood and efficient quality management systems, which he said had resulted in the reduction of HIV prevalence in donated blood from 4.9 per cent in 2012 to below 1.4 per cent in 2018.

Mr Lelatisitswe further said the ministry would continue to adopt and support strategies that maximise blood collections in the country, some of which would include dissemination of information about blood donation through kgotla meetings, workshops and any other public gathering.

While recruiting new donors was important, he said it was also necessary to retain existing donors by keeping in touch with them and reminding them when they were due for blood donation.

He warned that blood remained a scarce source and its demand would continue to outweigh the supply for many years, adding that it was therefore essential that blood was used rationally only in patients who require blood transfusion for their management.

“It is important for health professionals to adhere to the guidelines on the clinical use of blood and blood products when they prescribe blood transfusion as a means of treatment,” he said.

Mr Lelatisitswe appreciated work done by the National Blood Transfusion Service as well as blood donors for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

He also commended other stakeholders for their selfless contributions to ensure uninterrupted blood supply.

In addition, he commended The Out of School Pledge 25 Youth Club for raising awareness on blood donation especially during the time when secondary schools were closed.

The members, he said, cycled from Maun to Selebi Phikwe through other villages in an effort to raise awareness on the importance of blood donation, an event that kick-started on June 1.

For his part the MP for Selebi Phikwe West, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse, commended efforts made by regular donors for volunteering to donate their blood freely.

He said Selebi Phikwe hospital, just like other hospitals, around the country was in need of blood to save lives, adding that its proximity to the ever busy Gaborone/Francistown road made the demand for blood even high because of road accident occurring on that road.

Mr Keorapetse also informed residents of Selebi Phikwe that the envisaged new Selebi Phikwe hospital was on the pipeline and government had approved the budget for the design of the new hospital.

He informed Mr Lelatisitswe about the shortage of doctors and specialists at Selebi Phikwe government hospital adding that the number had gone down from 18 to 11 doctors.

Selebi Phikwe Town Council Mayor Mr Molosiwa Molosiwa said even though blood donors were celebrated, the country had not been able to reach the set target of 45 000 units of blood per annum due to some negative mind set and myths about blood donation.

He called on those who were still shying away from donating blood particularly the youth to come on board and save the nation.

Mr Molosiwa also added that this country prides itself by its ability to improve and sustain the health of its people through voluntary and unpaid blood donation in this era where everything required money. ENDS