16 Jun 2024

The public has been urged to make access to safe blood a reality for everyone. Assistant Minister of Health, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe made the plea during World Blood Donor Day in Letlhakane on Friday.

He said adequate blood supply required a well-organised blood service that involved the community and a donor population committed to voluntary, unpaid blood donation throughout the year.

He emphasised that safe blood and blood products and their transfusion were a critical aspect of care and public health. He added that safe blood and its products saved millions of lives and improved the health and quality of life for many everyday.

“The need for blood is universal, but access to safe blood for all those who need it, is not,” he said. Safe blood, he said, was critical for both treatment and urgent interventions, adding that it could help patients suffering from life threatening conditions live longer with a high quality of life as well as to support complex medical and surgical procedures.

Mr Lelatisitswe, who is also Member of Parliament for Boteti East, said access to safe blood was still a privilege, adding that most low and middle income countries struggled to make safe blood available because donations were low and equipment to test was scarce.

He noted that 42 per cent of blood was collected in high income countries which was home to only 16 per cent of the world’s population, adding that the number people donating blood globally remained low.

He said Botswana with a population of over 2.2 million people with over 60 per cent of them youth still struggled to meet the national target of 45 000 units of blood per annum. “We are currently managing an average of 24 000 blood units,” he said, noting that in 2023 they managed to collect 27 897 units.

He noted that the purpose of the commemoration was to raise public awareness and increase knowledge on the importance of blood donation in order to maximise donations in the country. He said the 2024 global campaign carried the theme: 20 years of celebrating giving; Thank you blood donors. He said the core message highlighted the essential contribution that blood donors made to ensuring the continuation of life.

The minister urged young people to donate more and ensure adequate and safe blood through voluntary and non-remunerated blood donations. He commended Pledge 25 Club Botswana for embracing the call to donate blood and to inspire other youth to do the same. A representative from the World Health Organisation, Dr Tebogo Madidimalo urged member states to uphold blood regulatory systems that were in place and to inspire citizens to donate blood.

He noted that African countries collected 5.2 units of blood for every 1 000 people, and that it was below the 10 donations or 1 000 people recommended by WHO, adding that it was far below the 33 units of blood per 1 000 people collected in developed countries.

He said only 18 out of 47 countries had reached the regional target of 80 per cent of blood supply from voluntary non-remunerated blood donors. The 20th anniversary of blood donation, he said, was fitting to reflect on the achievements and address the challenges as well as to envision a future where safe blood transfusion was universally accessible.

Dr Koketso Maotwe from Orapa Hospital said blood usage was high due to increasing population as well as increasing road traffic accidents. He said patients with low blood and delivering women needed blood, and urged Batswana to continue with the noble gesture of donating blood. Ends