–Collects 250,235 unit blood over the last nine months
BY ASHENAFI ANIMUT
ADAMA-The Ethiopian Blood and Tissue Bank Service announced that it is working to enhance the awareness and culture of donating blood and cornea.
An awareness creation and consultation forum was held on Friday under the theme “Donate blood, save lives” in the presence of various local media representatives, professionals and blood donors.
Speaking at anawareness creation and consultation forum held on Friday under the theme, “Donate blood, save lives,” the Ethiopian Blood and Tissue Bank Service Deputy Director-General, HabtamuTaye said that it is the right time for media professionals and stakeholders to have well organized, sufficient and consolidated awareness to bring about efficient, accessible and quality donation scheme among the community thereby rescuing the lives of many.
He indicated that the forum is also aimed at strengthening and assisting media institutions and professionals to enhance their contribution as well as involvementin the community.
The number of blood donors decreases during the fasting seasons and school closing days, however, there has been some improvement regarding women participation in blood donation, he said adding that there is still a lot to do along this line.
He also indicated that the institution planned to collect 343,223 units of blood over the last nine months and managed to collect 250,235 units of blood in the stated period. Out of this, 62% of the donors are beginners and 38 percent are women.
In the same period, it was planned to attain 180 eye corneas and we have managed to get 133, which is 74 percent of the projection due to shortage of preservative tool, it was learnt.
He said, “Following the increasing number of people in need of blood for various reasons, we are exerting our utmost effort more than ever to bridge the existing gaps through various projects like by organizing community interventions, implementing Blood Security Information System (BSIS), utilizing automation machine and others to achieve a better performance in the coming months at various centers, schools, camps and all blood bank offices.”
Among other health related merits, he underscored that donating blood would be important to minimize iron accumulation, cancer vulnerability, produce more cells among others.
“So far, we have not been providing efficient services due to security problems, finance constraint, climate change and scarcity of vehicles. These and others are of course the core bottlenecks in due course of to operating in full capacity,” he stressed.
It is also indicated that the world blood donors day is slated to be celebrated on June 14 with the maxim “Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often” at global level.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 9 JUNE 2023
