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Whinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporter
THE National Blood Service Zimbabwe (NBSZ) has appealed for urgent donations of Blood group O as it is running out.

The blood group is critical in emergencies.

NBSZ Public Affairs Manager, Esther Massundah, said people should come forward to make the life saving donations.

She said blood group O stocks are limited and NBSZ is prioritising critical cases.

“Blood stocks for group O are currently low yet it’s vital as it can be transfused to patients with other blood groups in an emergency. In many cases one donation can impact or even save the lives of up to three patients,” said Massundah.

She said 50 percent of Zimbabweans have blood group O.

Massundah said even though blood group O donors can donate their blood to any person with a different blood group, they can only get it from an O blood donor.

“Hospitals in Zimbabwe mainly order blood group O to meet their needs because most of the hospitals that are outside of major towns don’t perform cross matching and as such they prefer to give a patient blood that they deem a universal blood group,” she said.

“However blood group A & Bs are available and hospitals who are requesting for these other blood groups are being supplied. Now that schools have opened, the situation is expected to normalise as NBSZ has commenced the schools programme. NBSZ visits 60 schools per term to collect blood.”

Massundah said during the month of December 2015, 4,675 blood donors visited the NBSZ static and mobile clinics countrywide and 4,348 of them donated blood.