Namibia faces critical blood shortage: official

Namibia is facing a critical shortage of blood and blood products, an official from the Blood Transfusion Service of Namibia (NamBTS) on Thursday said.

"The current blood stock is at 2.7 days, meaning there is only enough blood supply for the next two days if no further blood donations are collected countrywide," said NamBTS Educational Officer, Titus Shivute.

Shivute said that despite all the efforts to ensure that there were blood products available across the country, the authority found itself without sufficient blood supply during the preceding public holidays.

"The blood supply countrywide has been low in recent weeks due to the public holidays in March and April," he said.

There have been fewer blood donations recently in Namibia heads into the winter season -- a major concern for NamBTS.

The authority has appealed to potential donors, especially O-positive and O-negative blood donors, to help it stock up their supply.

"The desired blood supply is a 9-day blood stock level which would ensure that there is sufficient blood and blood products throughout hospitals countrywide," Shivute said. Endit