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Cabinet minister revealed yesterday.

Speaking at the World Blood Donor Day commemorations at Murewa High School yesterday, Health and Child Welfare Minister, Dr Henry Madzorera, lauded the “silent heroes” who donated blood out of their free will.

“Millions of people owe their lives to people they will never meet – people who donate blood freely without any reward.
“Blood is a precious resource and in many cases it saves lives. It is to these people that World Blood Donor Day is dedicated,” he said in a speech read on his behalf by a Principal Director in the Ministry Dr Christopher Tapfumaneyi.

This year’s theme is “More Blood, More Life.”
Dr Madzorera said the theme reinforced the urgent need for more people worldwide to become life savers by donating blood regularly.

“The theme also aims at creating a wider awareness of the increasing need for blood in order to improve the vital role that blood transfusion plays in saving lives.
“The theme also reinforces the need of motivating more individuals to become regular blood donors to ensure there are sufficient stocks of blood to meet national requirements even in emergency situations.

“The youths continue to be the leading contributors of the blood totalling 70 percent of the collections,” he said.
Murewa North House of Assembly, Dr David Parirenyatwa, reiterated the sentiments by urging the youths to continue donating blood.

“Blood is precious and I urge you to continue donating blood,” he said.
Dr Parirenyatwa said it was disturbing to hear about jobless nurses yet the health institutions and the population had increased.

Speaking at the same occasion, Mashonaland East Provincial Education Director, Mr Sylvester Matshaka, urged National Blood Services Zimbabwe to facilitate staff to talk to students about donating blood whilst they were still young so that they understood its importance.

In a speech read on her behalf by World Health Organisation health promotion officer, Mrs Wendy Julias, WHO country representative, Dr Custodia Mandlhate, said although African countries have made remarkable progress in the collection of blood and the improvement of the quality of blood products, there was still much to do to ensure equitable distribution of commodity where it was needed.

Dr Mandlhate urged heath officials to put special emphasis on raising the awareness of the people and mobilising them to donate blood voluntarily and benevolently.
Murewa High School is the best school blood donor for 2010/2011 and it was presented with a floating shield from NetOne.