The Blood Donation Service of Namibia came up with a brand new Valentine’s idea: “Valentine to Valentine” - which means during one year - you are encouraged to give blood three times a year. With this campaign, the Blood Donation Service hopes to attract those donors who sometimes forget - and a host of new donors.
People leading a healthy lifestyle with a safe sex life, older than 16 but younger than 65 and weighing over 65 kilos can become donors and thus part of this campaign. They will receive a gift bag which includes a coffee mug which will tell your colleagues that you are a donor and lifesaver.
A blood donor on average donates 1.7 times a year. If this could be increased to three donations per year by just 1 000 of the existing 10 000 Namibian donors, it would mean an additional 1000 units of blood each year. And Blood is urgently needed.
As Liesl Schwerdtfeger explained: during the launch by Dr Björn von Finckenstein, the Medical Director of the Blood Transfusion Service: “We collected 1 657 units of blood during January, restoring the minimum supply of all blood groups that it needs to maintain at all times. But especially during the holiday time, the demand was so much higher.”
She added that at times during the December Hiolidays, the service‘s blood bank was critically depleted, especially of Blood Group O, which can be used in all patients needing a blood transfusion.
Wirth the malaria season ahead, the struggle will go on, no matter how great the promotions of the Blood Donors.
This time you will receive a donor‘s card, indicating when and at which places you can donate blood.
Members of the Staff, the Board and the media listened attentively to Dr von Finckenstein during the launch of the “Valentine to Valentine” promotion. In the middle: Dr James Chitsva (WHO)