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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
THE Ministry of Child and Health Care has withdrawn funding to the National Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ).

The development has resulted in blood products getting more expensive.

Addressing the Bulawayo Press Club on Thursday night to mark the blood donor month, NBSZ’s board member Mr Sipho Bulle said the blood bank requires an annual budget of $7 million but are unable to raise the funds.

He did not explain how much NBSZ was raising.

“There is no substitution for blood.  We call on the corporate world to chip in as their employees may also require blood at one point. At the moment we have National Aids Council (NAC) as the largest contributor. Previously we used to get something from NAC and the Ministry of Health and Child Care used to give support which they have since withdrawn,” he said.

Mr Bulle said even international donors have also withdrawn their funding. He said donor fatigue has resulted in the blood bank increasing the price of the commodity to recover its processing costs.

“The model is a best on a cost recovery basis. What we’re actually charging as user fee is actually aimed at recovering other expenses which escalates our prices. If we had support we could subsidise the cost of processing and pass that to the patients who will pay less. But the support is no longer there meaning the patients have to pay the full amount,” said Mr Bulle.

He said the blood bank charges public hospitals $100 while private institutions pay $120 to recover its processing costs. Some hospitals sell blood for up to $250 per pint after factoring in storage costs.

Mr Bulle said due to additional tests conducted in health institutions hospitals are forced to charge more money on blood products.

He called on the corporate world to lend a helping hand to the blood bank as this will result in blood products going down.

— @nqotshili