Festive season blood needed
#daretocare #daretoshare
The Blood Transfusion Service of Namibia (NamBTS) urgently needs blood for the festive season.“Blood donors need to keep donating, otherwise chronic blood shortage will remain leading into the new year. Simply put, we need 200 units of whole blood per day to see us through December and January 2025,” said Zita Tobin, Manager: Marketing and Donor Relations for NamBTS. “Donors are encouraged to visit one of our offices in Windhoek, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Oshakati or Ondangwa or a mobile clinic in either Otjiwarongo, Outjo or Gobabis and donate blood leading up to Christmas.”
She says that blood stock levels are the lowest since 2020, with only five days of blood stock. “This will drop drastically over the next few weeks, creating a blood shortage,” she said.
The holiday season poses two problems for NamBTS; firstly, there are fewer blood donors available to donate as they go on holidays and travel, shop, and prepare for the upcoming festivities; while blood demand increases with motor vehicle accidents on our roads as people travel to and from their destinations, cancer patients continue with their treatment during the holidays, and babies continue to be born with some requiring a life-saving transfusion.
Donate here!
• 35 Tal Street Windhoek: From 07:00 to 16:00 daily with extended hours Tuesdays and Thursdays until 18:00
• Namibian Oncology Centre: 3 Heliodoor Street, Eros from 08:30 to 16:00 every Wednesday
• Swakopmund Centre: 10:00 to 18:00 (Monday’s only)
• Walvis Bay Centre: 10:00 to 18:00 (Tuesday’s only)
• Ondangwa Centre: 10:00 to 18:00 (Tuesdays only)
• Oshakati Centre: 10:00 to 18:00 (Mondays only)
For more information, contact NamBTS at 083 378 7000.