By Esnath Kalawe
Like one way of reaching out and addressing challenges of shortage of blood in hospitals, last friday Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) Youths volunteers in Lilongwe urban, eagerly joined for blood donation to Malawi Blood Transfusion Service (MBTS).
MRCS is implementing a number of projects in Malawi, one of its projects is called Blood donor recruitment.
Through that project , the role of MRCS is to sensitize people on awareness on issues of blood donation. When there are people who are willing to donate, the MBTS comes in to take blood from the donors.
Pictures for the Red Cross story. Youths volunteers captured with MBTS personnels during the blood donation.
Last Friday about 50 RedCross Youths Volunteers that are within Lilongwe urban in area 23, 24, 36 as well as Kawale came together for blood donation.
Regarding the MRCS Motto as to give hope to those who are inneed, the youths had also to consider the sick people those who are in need of blood in hospitals.
Those sick people needs to be reached out by helping efforts of MBTS which is already doing that.
Speaking during the blood donation in Lilongwe, The District Coordinator for MRCS Meckson Kaferapanjira said the goal of the project is to be contributing atleast 20% of blood units that MBTS needs in a year.
“We are expecting to collect 50 Units today, In a year MBTS needs a total of 120,000 units to reachout to all hospitals. For Redcross atleast we contribute 20% of that.” explained Kaferapanjira.
According to Kaferapanjira all the works that MRC do, they do in helping the efforts of government in different sectors and one of it is in Health.
He said in health sector, MRC has its own health strategic plan, and one of their pillars is blood donor recruitment, which is assisting MBTS as a government institution under Ministry of Health,
“We have been auxilliary to government. We want to help MBTS to reach the gap that is there in terms of sensitizing people to be donating and collecting blood, so because of the gap that is why MRC is coming in to sensitize more people so that they can come for donation.” Kaferapanjira said
When MBTS have collected blood, they process it, testing as well as making other blood products depending on the needs of the hospital.
Afer completing the processing they distribute to hospitals according to the hospital demands as well.
The Blood donor project innitiative started in 2017 as first phase which ended in 2019, 2nd Phase started in 2020 and is expect to end in 2022.
MRC also urges other institution to work with them, helping with resources so that they reach out to places with messages.
Among others they want to build that as a habit among every citizen and the people they are working with so that they continue donating blood by making arrangement with them as well as going direct to MBTS.
One of the Blood donors Benjamin Njanji who is also Lilongwe Youth Division Chairperon for the Redcross describes the innitiative as so imperative and vital to different lives of people.
” It is neccessary to donate blood and Iam encouraging my fellow youths to emulate. We have seen cases of people in hospitals who are inneed of blood but surprisingly the hospital personels says there are no blood.
“The innitiative will help to address challenges of shortage of blood because you dont know who will be saved with the blood, it might be your relative.” Njanji said.
The innitiative is also being implemented in TA Kabudula, TA Khongoni, TA kalolo in Lilongwe rural.
The day’s event was helped by klassiq rent a car and they have been in partnership with MRCS and MBTS in the innitiative since 2018. They had to assist with transport logistics faciliting donors to come for the donation .
