NBSZ Launches Festive Season Campaign

06 Dec, 2014 - 23:12 0 Views

The Sunday Mail

NBSZ Public Affairs

There is the African Proverb that says if you want to go quickly go it alone and if you want to go very far go with others. On 2 December 2014, National Blood Service Zimbabwe (NBSZ) in partnership with the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Confederation of Midwives Association, Net One, Visibly Heard, Health Journalists Association of Zimbabwe and Contact Centre Association of Zimbabwe launched the 2014 Festive Season Campaign under the theme “Accidents & Emergencies Do Not Take Holidays Donate Blood”.

Through this campaign NBSZ is targeting to collect 9135 units of blood. Should demand increase/decrease NBSZ will adjust its collections accordingly.

Running parallel to the Festive season campaign is the Pledge 25 Club Zimbabwe 20th Anniversary Commemoration Campaign which was also launched during the Festive Season Campaign.

The campaign is running under the theme “Two decades of saving lives – Zviriku’fire – Ziyakhipha. Traditionally on the NBSZ calendar, the month of December is a ‘Youth Donor Month’. The blood drives commenced on the 5th of December through an event popularly known to Pledge 25 members as Youth Donors Day.

The national statistics will be published in the next article. The blood drives will also be held at NBSZ sub-centres throughout the month of December into January.

The Youth Donor Month will run till 12 January 2015.

During the Launch, the Club was partnered by the Zimbabwe Red Cross and Junior Parliamentarians. Zimbabwe was the first country in the world to come up with the Pledge 25 Club concept in 1994 and this has been copied in over 60 countries throughout the world.

Countries such as Tanzania and Ghana have come to NBSZ to learn more about the Pledge 25 and how they can implement it in their respective countries. The Club has a membership of 5000 members.

The launch kicked off with a street march led by the Zimbabwe Prisons & Correctional Service and the Zimbabwe Republic Police in Harare Central Business District.

The procession brought the CBD to a stand-still as they marched through the busy roads.

This marked the start of an awareness campaign on giving blood and also concertizing road users to exercise road safety during and after the festive season because accidents deeply impact the blood bank stocks.

The school holiday period poses a challenge for the blood bank because blood donors attending high school contribute 75% of blood in the blood bank. But however since schools will be closed they won’t be able to make that vital donation.

Nevertheless, with the advent of the Festive season campaign and the Pledge 25 Youth Donor Month, we seek to bring significant stability in safe blood stocks during the Christmas holiday thereby providing a long-term solution to these seasonal shortages.

As a responsible people we are all supposed to act to reduce the burden of death and injury to our society and above all, understand the significance of being an active blood donor. Road traffic accidents are still and will always be a cause for concern hence it is imperative for us all to be responsible this holiday by driving to stay alive and donating blood to save lives.

The launch was attended by all the Campaign Partners, Chairman NBSZ Retd Justice Leslie George Smith, CEO NBSZ Mr David Mvere who was represented by Ms L Marowa; NBSZ SHEQ Manager, Ministry of Health & Child Care, Doves, Road Safe Zimbabwe, Zimbo Love, Zimbabwe Red Cross, Junior Parliamentarians, Brand Ambassador Mr Bob Nyabinde, Long Serving Blood Donor Mr Misheck Mbabvu and visually impaired Blood Donor Mr Abiot Moyo amongst others.

During the campaign launch, visually impaired blood donor Mr Abiot Moyo demonstrated that disability does not mean inability and encouraged Zimbabweans to donate blood voluntarily to save lives.

Mr Moyo is proud to have saved many lives and even though he is visually impaired, the thought of knowing that he has saved many lives brings to him great joy.

Brand Ambassador Mr Bob Nyabinde was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation from the Blood Service for his dedication, commitment and consistency to the NBSZ programmes. The Certificate of Appreciation was presented by Mr Abiot Moyo. Campaign partners Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Confederation of Midwives Association, Pledge 25 Club Zimbabwe President and Junior Parliament Representative gave solidarity messages.

Blood is precious, and unfortunately there will never be enough of it. As opportunities for successful treatment of cancers, injuries, surgical problems and blood disorders increase, the demand for blood rises. So, Safe blood begins with me and you! Be a Blood Donor Today.

Minimum Requirements to be a blood donor:

• Between the ages of 16-65 years old

• Weigh more than 50kg’s

• Be in good health

• Lead a safe, low risk lifestyle

For your convenience, NBSZ donation clinics will be open Monday — Saturday with some days set aside as late opening days. The recently opened Joina City Clinic that is located at Joina City, First Floor, Shop 128 will extend its opening hours for the convenience of the blood donors.

Make a difference this Festive Season “Give the Gift of Life” Donate Blood.

For your questions and answers, please write or contact; Esther Massundah; Public Affairs Manager on 251851, 251854 / 251855-6, 0772162279, 0772162280, 0772162281, 0772162282, 0772162283, 0772162284, 0772162285 or email [email protected] or like us on Facebook:- NBSZ Bloodbank or follow us on Twitter: – @NBSZ Bloodbank; Website www.nbsz.co.zw

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