HARARE - Only 30 percent of the 64 000 blood donors are adults, according to the National Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ).
This comes amid revelations that adults consume 80 percent of the donated blood.
Esther Massundah, NBSZ public relations manager, told the Daily News her organisation was this year focusing on adult campaigns to ensure they consume what they donate.
“The pool of adult donors is one among the challenges NBSZ faces,” she said.
“The year 2014 will see adult campaigns for most of the holidays so that we do not rely on the blood coming from the youths. Adults consume 80 percent of the blood donated yet the adult donor pool is less than 30 percent.”
According to national statistics, close to 40 percent of recipients of blood transfusions were mothers facing complications in pregnancy and childbirth.
Massundah said adults were reluctant to donate due to various reasons, among them fear to know their HIV status.
“Some think that they will get tested before they make their donation. Time and busy schedules, fear of fainting or side effects after donating blood, religious beliefs are the other reasons,” she said.
Massundah, however, said the blood bank levels were currently able to satisfy market demand.
“As an organisation, we do have a system in place of contacting blood donors when emergency cases are brought to our immediate attention and have mechanisms to move blood from one branch to another in cases of disaster,” she said.
