Esther Massundah
One of National Blood Service Zimbabwe’s strategic objectives is to enhance marketing, brand awareness and customer service. To achieve this objective, NBSZ officially launched its rebranded website on July 16 2012.

The launch of the website is part of the organisation’s overall rebranding exercise which began in 2011.
The NBSZ, through the launch of the new website, aims for an established brand with the intention of developing a differentiated (new) position which repositions the mind of stakeholders, blood donors and the rest of the public.
Testimonies from blood donors, recipients as well as our counselling services are also available on the website.

The new website strives to increase NBSZ’s visibility and also create brand awareness amongst its stakeholders and partners as a regional and international key player in blood transfusion services.
The NBSZ is the sole provider of safe blood and blood products in Zimbabwe and hence plays a pivotal role in the health sector. NBSZ plays an active part in blood transfusion activities locally, regionally and internationally and, through the website, NBSZ will keep the public informed about our various collaborations.

As a member of the Africa Society for Blood Transfusion (AfSBT), NBSZ has ensured that its policies and procedures for blood transfusion meet international standards as they are approved by international bodies which include American Association for Blood Banks (AABB) and International Society for Blood Transfusion (ISBT). Such will be some of the information available on our website.
Websites have preferably become a fast mode of disseminating information as well as educating people on various issues. This is attributed to how technology has revolutionised the way corporates, organisations and individuals disseminate information. It is widely accessible to many thus it is used to disseminate information to many people without boundary constraints.

The website is interactive and this helps demystify some of the myths associated with blood donation.
The section on the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) will assist donors and all those who want to know about donating blood as they can now access information on how they can be active donors.

Eventually this will assist the organisation to foster a culture of donating blood and make it an everyday talk amongst our target audience.
Stakeholders and the public can now access the organisation on the Facebook page which has an account for adults and another for the Pledge 25 Club; as well as a twitter account. The organisation also aims at fund-raising for various initiatives hence we have a partnerships page which contains appeals seeking your partnerships. The page also recognises different sponsors who would have partnered in various activities. Do you want to partner for life with NBSZ? Find out more through our partnerships page which is available on our website.

Also on the new site is a media centre which gives the visitors to our website the opportunity to view our news articles covering our various activities and scientifically related topical issues.
The organisation’s upcoming events, facts and figures, Press releases as well as the annual reports are accessible. This page will provide all the relevant information

to the public so that they are well informed about the organisation.

The first blood policy and standards for blood transfusion in Zimbabwe which were officially launched in September 2011 are accessible and can be downloaded for free. The domain name or website site address, www.bloodbank.co.zw, will be replaced with www.nbsz.co.zw.
However, the www.bloodbank.co.zw domain will still be functional for at least three months. The site is being launched at a time when NBSZ is in the midst of an adult donor mobilisation campaign which aims at increasing the adult donor base.

The website is entirely in English.
With this in mind, NBSZ is appealing to the public to access our website as some of the questions that you might have can be answered through the information that is available on the website.

There will be continuous improvements to this website, thus those who log in to the website can expect to see quite a number of new things.
NBSZ will ensure that we provide as much information as possible regarding the organisation and our activities through this website.
We now have additional lines
NBSZ wishes to advise the public that we now have additional lines: 0772162279, 0772162280, 0772162281, 0772162282, 0772162283, 0772162284, 0772162285. 

We are also still contactable on 707801-4.
l For your questions and answers please write or contact Esther Massundah, Public Affairs Manager, on 707801-4, mobile 0712612829 or email emassundah@blood
bank.co.zw emassundah@gmail.com