People urged to donate blood
PEOPLE have been urged to donate blood to boost the national blood bank.
The call was made during an awareness campaign launched in Harare yesterday by the International WeLoveU Foundation in partnership with National Blood Services of Zimbabwe (NBSZ).
The organisation was hosting its 472nd Worldwide Blood Drive following a break due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They had last hosted a blood drive in 2021.
In an interview, Tapiwa Toravanda from WeLoveU, said the organisation noticed that NBSZ needed help to boost the blood bank.
“We want to attract more donors and double the number of blood donors in Zimbabwe. Not only do we want to increase the blood bank, but we also want to raise awareness so that other people are encouraged to donate blood and realise the value of donating to save lives,” he said.
Kudakwashe Chidziya, the NBSZ communications officer, said the national blood bank was in need of blood donations for patients suffering from cancer and other diseases.
“Blood Group O is our greatest demand. We managed to secure over 30 donations today since the WeLoveU Foundation was able to attract more blood donors through their campaign.
“As the NBSZ we are mandated to make sure that the nation has adequate blood and Covid-19 was a setback, but now due to the opening of schools and awareness campaigns, our stocks have improved,” he said.
The International WeLoveU Foundation is an NGO associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications which was officially launched in 2001.