Stefanus Nashama
The Namibia Blood Transfusion Services (NamBTS) needs at least 200 blood donations per day to meet the needs of hospitals and medical centres across the country.
NamBTS spokesperson, Titus Shivute, said this as Namibia joined the rest of the world on World Blood Donor Day on Thursday to celebrate 20 years of blood donation.
“We need donors to donate at least four times a year in order to help ensure that there is always an adequate supply of blood available to patients across the country,” he said.
World Blood Donor Day is an opportunity to thank blood donors around the world for their contributions.
The day also serves to address ongoing issues and hasten the transition to a time when everyone has access to safe blood transfusions.
Shivute said the majority of donations come from O-positive blood type donors.
He said that this blood type is compatible with all other blood types and that patients frequently receive transfusions in emergencies.
Following the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, Shivute said there has been an increase in blood donations.
“We are on an upward trajectory and really appreciate the contributions of donors around the country,” he said.
According to him, there are over 30 000 active blood donors across the country.
Shivute said NamBTS currently has an 8-day supply of units of blood and blood products.
“This is a healthy blood stock level, but we hope that more donations are made across the country to rebuild our reserves to the ideal blood stock level of 9–12 days,” he said.
In previous years, Shivute said that bloodstock would drop during the winter months because many potential donors would contract seasonal illnesses such as the flu or a cold.
He dismissed claims that blood donation is painful, stating that it can be uncomfortable, but the pain is typically minimal.
He added that having a tattoo or piercing does not disqualify you from donating blood.
However, a person needs to wait four months before donating to ensure there is no risk of infection after getting a tattoo.
