Malawi Blood Transfusion Services (MBTS) says the establishment of the National Cancer Centre has necessitated the need for more resources for its Central Region office to achieve the targeted weekly blood units.
Lilongwe Blood Transfusion Centre head Felix Ayuba disclosed this on Thursday in Lilongwe when he received a set of essential items donated by Export Development Fund (EDF).
He said the centre has created demand of about 300 units of blood per week, pushing the Central Region weekly demand to 1 200 units.
Said Ayuba: “The demand for blood and blood products is increasing almost daily due to increase of cancer patients. Almost every week we need 1 200 units of blood to be able to satisfy all the facilities that are within the region.
“So, Lilongwe City is finding it difficult to meet that demand due to lack of equipment and other items that we use in the course of blood collection like tents which provide shelter.”
Commenting on the donation which included a 100-seater tent, 120 chairs and a blood pressure machine to support clinical operations, EDF managing director Frederick Chanza said they supported MBTS operations because of its life-saving role.
“We focus on enterprises that create jobs, generate foreign exchange and build industries that can compete beyond our borders. However, all of that work depends on a very basic condition: that the people of this country are healthy enough to work, to produce and to fully participate in the economy,” he said.
MBTS was established by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation in 2003 and began its operations in 2004 to provide an adequate supply of safe blood and blood products for all patients who need blood in all authorised hospitals.
