Nyasa International Academy has conducted a blood donation exercise to inculcate a culture of donating blood among its learners.
Speaking on Wednesday during the exercise in Blantyre, the institution’s librarian Aisha Panjwani said it is important for children to understand the importance of donating blood; hence, inviting Malawi Blood Transfusion Services (MBTS) for the exercise.
She said: “Between November and December, there is always high demand for blood due to an increase in cases of malaria, anaemia and accidents in the country.
“We wanted our students to understand this urgent need and to experience firsthand how they can give back to the community and become advocates for blood donation.”
Panjwani said most students aspire to pursue careers in the medical field as doctors, surgeons and nurses and this experience offers them an early look into the field.
MBTS marketing and public relations manager Janet Katonda thanked the school for the initiative.
She said over 70 percent of blood donors in the country are students and they appreciate the pivotal role students play in saving people’s lives through blood donation.
“We cannot say that we are satisfied with the blood that we are collecting as we need more blood. There is a high demand of blood in hospitals,” she said.
One of the students, Tapiwanashe Mukhononyanga, said the exercise has helped him understand the importance of blood donation and its functions
