Botswana in chronic blood shortage
The Botswana National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) is calling on the public to roll up their sleeves and donate blood to address chronic blood shortages experienced across the country.
Presenting on the situation of blood in Botswana during the eighth meeting of the third Ntlo Ya Dikgosi held at Travel Lodge on Monday, NBTS Recruitment Head, Annah Mothuti said increasing the blood supply is, without exaggeration, a matter of life and death for thousands of patients around the country. The NBTS said that the requirements for safe blood within Botswana are at about 40000 units with a capacity of 450 millimeters. Low donor turnout means that the national demand is not being met.
In 2016 only 25824 bottles were collected, a decrease compared to 27445 collected in 2015. “The shelf-life of donated blood is 35 to 42 days. There is a constant need to replenish stocks in our blood banks. The problem could be addressed if only two percent of Batswana donated blood,” she said. Importantly, she said the need is not only for blood but also for “safe blood.”
Mothuti said the ability of the NBTS to supply safe blood is also threatened by the HIV prevalence in the general public, which stands at 17.1 per cent. However she said HIV prevalence among blood donors population has been decreasing, with only 1.7 per cent noted in 2015 compared to 9 per cent in 2003. Since blood donation is a voluntary act, Mothuti called on citizens to see the benefit that regular donations will have for their fellow countrymen. Unlike other medical aspects, blood is a substance that cannot be manufactured or engineered and the only source is a voluntary donor.
She explained that “many individuals do not participate in this generous act mainly due to misinformation and misunderstanding of the donation process, key amongst them being the fear of catching disease in the process”. The use of totally sterile disposable blood bags and needles ensure that individuals cannot contract transmittable diseases such as HIV at any point of the donation process.
Following the extraction process laboratory tests are done to look out for symptoms of Hepatitis (B and C), Malaria, HIV, Venereal Diseases as well as identify blood groups. To be a donor, one needs to be between the ages of 16 and 65 and weigh at least 50 kilograms. Donated blood has multiple uses in the medical field. Following the donation and screening process, blood is separated into its various components. Red blood cells are used to replenish blood loss in trauma, surgery patients, pregnancy and complications during childbirth.
Fresh frozen plasma which is the liquid part of the blood is used mainly for patients with liver problems and burns. Platelets part of the blood causes clotting when an individual is cut or has an open wound. Collectively, Dikgosi agreed that more education and awareness campaign is needed to sensitise the public about the importance of donating blood.
They suggested ways that people could be motivated to give blood. Kgosi Mosadi Seboko advised the NBTS to partner with shops like Choppies to feed donors after their sacrifice. Kgosi Maru suggested that cigarettes should be levied and combined with the already existing alcohol levy to buy donors groceries for a month. The NBTS has centres in Gaborone, Francistown, Maun, Molepolole and Serowe.
