National blood bank still failing to meet demand

Baboki Kayawe | Friday June 17, 2016 14:39

With increased road carnage, the demand for blood transfusion is escalating among accidents and emergency victims.

To augment collections at the Gaborone National Blood Transfusion Centre and the Frrancistown Regional Blood Transfusion Centre, blood collection was decentralised to districts in 2013.

Four more centres were established in Molepolole, Mahalapye, Maun and Serowe, which have had an immediate positive impact. 

Permanent secretary to the President, Carter Morupisi said,  6,464 units of blood were collected in 2015 in these new clinics, when officiating at the World Blood Donor Day this week.

“We still need to do more though to reach the target of 40,000 units. Adequate and safe blood supply can be assured by having voluntary non-remunerated blood donors at all times,” Morupisi said.

These donors are said to be the safest group as the prevalence of blood borne infections are lowest among this group, he added.

“Voluntary blood donors are motivated by altruism and sense of moral duty to help those in need of blood,” he said.

Nonetheless, collaborations between the National Blood     Transfusion Centre and academic instititions such as the University of Botswana and secondary schools have been hailed for bearing positive results.

In 2015, the partnership saw 1,383 blood units collected from UB, while secondary schools contributed to around 9,246 units compared to other panels, making them the highest donors.

The national demand is 40,000 units of blood every year to meet the needs of patients across the country, but are currently not meeting the requirements.

For instance in 2009 the maximum collected was 23,000 units but the figure has been decreasing. In 2011 blood reservoirs received 16,000 units and in 2012 19,000 units were collected. 

Delivery mothers and increasing rates of backyard abortions drive demand for blood transfusion, health specialists have noted.

This is in addition to traumatic incidents such as traffic road accidents and surgeries, and the rise of fights and assaults among couples resulting in massive blood loss.