Maseru, July 29 — Minister of Health, Mrs. Mamokete Nts’ekhe has urged Basotho to make voluntary blood donation a regular practice, saying the country continues to face a shortage of blood needed to save the lives of accident victims, mothers experiencing childbirth complications and patients with serious illnesses.
Speaking during the event, Mrs. Nts’ekhe said Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital (QMMH) frequently experiences blood shortages, making it difficult to meet the growing demand from patients in need of transfusions.
She said many people lose large amounts of blood due to road accidents, while others suffer from diseases that affect their red blood cells and require blood transfusions. She added that women who experience excessive bleeding during childbirth are also among those who urgently need donated blood.
The minister said blood donation should not only be done when a family member needs blood but should become a voluntary act of helping others.
She appealed to Basotho to understand that donating blood is a simple act that can save lives, improve the health of recipients and demonstrate compassion towards fellow citizens.
Mrs. Nts’ekhe said if Basotho work together and support one another through regular blood donation, the country can overcome the current shortage and ensure that patients receive blood when they need it.
Meanwhile, Blood Bank Laboratory Scientist Mr. Thapelo Sesoane said blood remains a scarce resource and encouraged every Mosotho who qualifies to become a regular donor.
He explained that eligible donors should be between the ages of 18 and 60 and undergo health screening, including iron level and blood pressure checks, to ensure that donating blood is safe for both the donor and the recipient.
Mr. Sesoane said the body naturally replaces donated blood within a few days and noted that one unit of donated blood can benefit up to three patients.
He said cancer patients are among those who frequently require blood transfusions and stressed that blood donation should become part of the country’s culture.
He added that donating blood not only saves the lives of patients but can also have health benefits for donors, including helping to reduce the risk of high blood pressure in some cases.In an interview , a blood donor Mr. Bushy Keakabetse who is a Botswana national currently in Lesotho on a business trip said he decided to donate blood as a way of supporting the Basotho people, describing blood donation as an important act that helps save lives. He said it was not his first time donating blood, as he has been donating once every year and has never experienced any complications from the process.
He said blood donation is important because it saves lives and no one knows when they or someone close to them may need blood. He encouraged everyone to donate blood, saying it is the responsibility of every individual to contribute since anyone could require a blood transfusion at any time.
To encourage more people to participate, the minister became the first person to donate blood during the event , saying she wanted to demonstrate that donating blood is safe and contributes to saving lives
Ends/MAMAJ /tl
