Maseru, Feb. 20 — Basotho nationals who are frequent blood donors have reported that the location of the Lesotho Blood Transfusion Services (LBTS) in Lithabaneng has made it difficult for them to continue with frequent blood donation.
Speaking in an interview with the Agency on Tuesday, a donor Ms. Palesa Maharasoa said that she finds it costly and time consuming to travel to Lithabaneng to donate blood unlike when the services were easily accessed within the Maseru town.
She said that with the scarcity of blood donation that the country is faced with due to the high rate of HIV infections and other chronic diseases that prevent people from donating blood, LBTS should consider placing stations where they can easily be accessed.
She however advised LBTS to make arrangements of placing donation stations at local hospitals and clinics as that also can be of great help.
Meanwhile, the acting Blood Bank Manager Mr. Khotso Kalake said that there is currently no arrangement made by them for such services within the Maseru town saying that they had been working within the premises of Queen Elizabeth II hospital and is hoping that upon the completion of the hospital they will still be allocated space as to continue with their services.
He however said that the blood bank also has mobile teams which are placed at malls and other places during busy days to allow people to donate blood without traveling to the bank.
Mr. Kalake also added that another form of blood collection is when they get invitations from organizations when they are hosting events.
The scarcity of blood within the country due to the rate of HIV and other diseases have been reported to be one of the issues contributing to low donations and collection of blood across the country.
