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Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, [email protected]

THE National Blood Services of Zimbabwe is operating with a day’s supply of blood group O with calls for eligible residents to donate blood and save lives.

More than 52 percent of Zimbabweans are in Blood Group O and the rest are in groups A, B, and AB.

Those in that group can donate to people in blood groups A and B, but they can only be transfused with blood from those in their group.

School children account for more than 70 percent of blood donors and following the extended closure of schools as part of measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, very little blood is being collected.

A pint of blood can save three lives and blood is usually needed by pregnant women during delivery, accident victims, and patients requiring surgery.

A five-day supply from a healthy blood bank is recommended at any given time and the NBSZ said it has more than seven days’ supply for Blood Group A, which is above the normal supply and could lead to expiries in the absence of increased demand.

In an interview, NBSZ chief executive officer Ms Lucy Marowa said the blood bank had enough supplies during the festive season but stocks were critically low at the moment.

She said of their four e branches which include Bulawayo, Masvingo, and Mutare, Harare was the hardest hit.