NBSZ, Redan partnership to introduce fuel incentiv...

NBSZ, Redan partnership to introduce fuel incentive for blood donors

NBSZ says blood stocks are currently very low

Zim Now Writer

The National Blood Services of Zimbabwe will this week introduce a fuel incentive for all prospective blood donors in a partnership with Redan in an effort to plug shortages at the national blood bank.

NBSZ communications officer, Kudakwashe Chidziya said the initiative, set to be launched on January 6, is meant to ensure the country has adequate blood stocks.

“This is a strategic partnership under corporate engagement strategy which is meant to partner with corporates for financial and non-financial assistance as NBSZ is a non-profit organisation. Redan and its Corporate Social Responsibility mandates also realised the need to save lives by contributing in blood collection partnerships meant to boost national blood stocks,” said Chidziya.

The participating sites will initially be Redan Greencroft in Harare, Redan Flyover in Mutare and Bulawayo’s Redan Bellevue.

The mooted initiative comes after the NBSZ raised the red flag saying the body is failing to cope with demand for blood this festive season as the nation has been hit by a critical shortage of blood group type O, especially at its Harare and Bulawayo branches which are left with only a few days’ supply.

Chidziya said NBSZ was anticipating a huge turnout as they are hoping to boost their stocks.

“We are anticipating a huge turnout and we are hopeful that we can boost our stocks with at least 30 percent of our adequate stocks,” he said.

Recently, Bulawayo East Member of the National Assembly Ilos Nyoni (CCC) complained in Parliament that the NBSZ was underfunded in the 2023 National Budget.

“At the moment, these various blood transfusion stocks are very low and the reason is that they are not paid on time by the relevant ministry (Health and Child Care) because of inadequate funding.

“It is very important that adequate funds are allocated to the Health ministry so that we are able to meet funding of this particular important part of health, which is blood and that is life,” Nyoni said.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said in response that the problem lay rather with the speed of disbursement of funds and not that of inadequate funding.