GITEGA, April 25th (ABP) – From 22 to 26 April, the Burundi National Blood Transfusion Centre (CNTS Burundi) organized blood donation awareness and mobilization days in Gitega (central Burundi) to identify the obstacles and opportunities that can help increase blood collection and donation among community leaders, those include administrative, religious, defense and security officials, education and health sector officials, and associations and NGOs working in the blood transfusion sector, a check on the site by ABP has revealed.
The Technical Director of the CNTS, Dr Isaac Minani, pointed out that blood donation is voluntary and must under no circumstances be discriminated against on the grounds of race, nationality, religious beliefs, ethnic, social or cultural background, or any other discriminatory consideration. He pointed out that there are currently not enough bags of safe blood to meet all the needs of hospitals, even though the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a minimum of 10 blood donations per 1,000 inhabitants per year, but the CNTS only has 7.4 donations per 1,000 inhabitants per year.
With that in mind, the Technical Director of the CNTS called on the administrative staff to act as ambassadors for the CNTS Burundi, raising awareness among the population of the need to give blood in order to save the lives of others. He pointed out that the messages that the CNTS sends out do not reach everyone, even though, according to him, the blood donated can be used by the same donor, his wife or child, his brother or sister. He called on them to give a message about blood donation at all the meetings they organize for the public, in order to achieve those WHO recommendations.
Dr Minani pointed out that the challenge of blood shortages is due to a lack of awareness among the population as a result of a lack of financial resources to make regular visits to the field, as well as a lack of equipment and human resources for that institution.
The administrative staff warmly welcomed those awareness-raising sessions. They said they would make their own contributions and asked the CNTS to increase the number of blood collection areas, despite the challenges posed by the lack of means and human resources.
The Technical Director of the CNTS reminded blood donors that it is strictly forbidden to engage in intensive sport, hard work or long journeys after giving blood, to avoid complications that may arise.