Only one per cent of Namibia’s total population donates blood to the Blood Transfusion Service of Namibia (NamBTS) on an annual basis.

The low rate of donations has led to a critical shortage of blood for hospitals and medical centres across the country NamBTS’ spokesperson, Titus Shivute, told Nampa in an interview on Wednesday.

Shivute said a major contributing factor to the current shortage is that they saw a significant increase in demand for blood leading up to the holiday season.

‘NamBTS was experiencing blood shortages across the country even before the holiday season. This, we believe, was caused by an increase in non-emergency procedures at hospitals during the winter months of last year as a result of the pandemic. We also did not receive sufficient units donated over the period to bridge the gap of what we are able to supply to hospitals,” he stated.

According to Shivute, they currently have only three days of blood stock, which can only be improved if significant collections are made this week.

‘The desired blood stock levels are between nine and 12 days, which will then ensure sufficient stock for transfusions for patients at all hospitals and medical centres throughout the country,’ he said.

Shivered further stated that the Covid-19 pandemic should not deter Namibians from donating blood because Covid-19 is a respiratory virus which cannot be transfused through blood and thus it is not necessary for individuals to be tested for Covid-19 before donating blood.

‘We have implemented various guidelines because blood donations all over the world must continue to function. The World Health Organisation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Services, has developed these guidelines for how all blood transfusion services should operate, which include safety measures and safeguarding procedures to help ensure that the blood donated is safe,” he said.

Shivute further noted that NamBTS appreciates all donations, especially given Namibia’s difficult year last year dealing with the pandemic, but he also urgently requested that more Namibians who are willing to donate blood, approach the blood transfusion service.

‘We are in desperate need of blood. We will ensure that blood donation drives are set up throughout the country for your convenience, and with your help, we will be able to provide blood to our fellow Namibians who require blood transfusions,” he concluded.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency