The Regional Director of the World Health Organisation , Matshidiso Moeti, has said blood donation in Africa remains low and has continued to fall short of the demand on the continent. African countries, she said, collect only 5.2 units of blood per 1,000 people, which is significantly low when compared to the 33 units of blood per 1,000 people collected in developed countries.
Mrs Moeti said this in a statement issued on Friday to commemorate the 20th World Blood Donation Day (WBDD) in 2024 which is themed: “20 years of Celebrating Giving: Thank You, Blood Donors!” She maintained that the supply in Africa also falls below the 10 donations per 1,000 people recommended by WHO. “Only 18 out of 47 countries had reached the regional target of at least 80 per cent of blood supply from Voluntary Non-Remunerated Blood Donors. Yet, the demand for blood remains constant, while the supply often falls short,” she said.
She noted that countries must address the persistent challenges in the availability of safe blood and blood products and through collective efforts must raise adequate, source sustainable funding, and continue to build systems and capacities to increase blood donation rate. She said countries also need to build systems that separate donated blood into its components and can be stored for long-term use. PREMIUM TIMES delivers fact-based journalism for Nigerians, by Nigerians — and our community of supporters, the readers who donate, make our work possible.
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