Decentralisation improves blood donation

Maranyane Ngwanaamotho | Saturday March 1, 2014 18:39

This figure represents 50% of the national requirement. The blood donor recall system and the decentralisation of blood collection to some district hospitals have contributed to the improvement of the blood situation.

Blood can now be donated in Scottish Livingstone Hospital, Mahalapye District Hospital, Sekgoma Memorial Hospital and Letsholathebe II Memorial Hospital. Members of the public are encouraged to visit these health facilities for blood donation. 

However, Kayembe said that negative blood groups remain very rare. There are 8 groups of blood: O+, A+, B+, AB+, O-, A-, B-, and lastly AB-. Of these groups it is usually difficult to find negative groups.

“It is therefore important for people to find out what their blood groups are, and for those with negative blood groups to donate. Blood is needed most importantly for victims of road accidents, women who give birth, and patients with HIV/ AIDS,” he said.

Target groups for blood collection are usually students from junior secondary schools, who make about 50% of donors. “Our goal is to have the blood collection rate from secondary schools go back to the usual 60% and from there to reach 70%,” he said. 

 Students are mostly targeted because the prevalence of transfusion transmissible infections is very low among young age groups, Kayembe said.

“We test for HIV 1 and 2, Hepatitis B and C and Syphilis on each donated unit of blood. Units of blood that are found to be infected are discarded and incinerated,” he pointed out.

Apart from secondary schools, the National Blood Transfusion Service has other panels like the tertiary education institutions, uniformed services (Botswana Defence Force, Botswana Police Service, Botswana Prisons Service), companies and churches.

There is absolutely no danger in donating blood and people can donate anytime of year, Kayembe says. “There is no risk at all. Safety is critical in blood collection. We have rigorous screening criteria to select potential donors. We also ensure that it is safe for the donor to donate blood by checking his/her medical history, blood levels, sexual behaviour and many other things,” he said.

According to World Health Organisation’s recommendations blood for transfusion should be collected from voluntary non-remunerated blood donors since it has been demonstrated that the prevalence of transfusion transmissible infections in those donors is much lower compared to family replacement/donation or commercial donation.

Donations from family or friends are discouraged and commercial blood donation, contrary to some African countries, is not at all practiced in Botswana.

Kayembe said that the discard rates of infected blood have reduced tremendously in the past 10 years, from 11.8% in 2003 to 3.5 percent last year.

This is because of the education that is provided to blood donors. “They know that if they have certain diseases and health issues they cannot donate. This is also because of the HIV routine testing. More people know their status and those who are positive do not even go for blood donation,” he continued.

Meanwhile, the blood bank’s donor recruitment coordinator, Kenneth Segokgo emphasised the importance of donating blood saying just one-pint can save at least three lives.