By Kuda Pembere
The National Blood Service Zimbabwe (NBSZ) has launched its Festive Season Blood Collection Campaign, urging Zimbabweans to donate blood in large numbers as demand for the life-saving resource traditionally increases during the holidays. The festive period is also associated with a rise in road traffic accidents, which places additional pressure on the national blood supply.
Speaking during the launch, NBSZ Chief Executive Officer Lucy Marowa said the organisation decided to begin this year’s campaign earlier to prevent shortages.
Okay, we normally see a 10 to 15% roughly surge in the demand for blood during the festive season. But at the same time, like I did allude to in my delivery, this is also the time when we also tend to have a seasonal dip,” she said. “If we don’t plan adequately, that means that our schools are closed, people are at their homes, so if we don’t do our collections properly, then we are found wanting.”
Marowa explained that last year’s media support helped NBSZ overcome the usual seasonal decline in donations. “Last year, we had to fill it because of the support that we got from the press conferences, the media messages. So we had a lot of people coming in to donate. So that seasonal dip, we had to fill it. And this is why we decided to start early this year to make sure the campaigns start much earlier and our blood bank is stocked well ahead of the festive season,” she said.
With last year’s target for the festive season being 7 460, NBSZ this time aims to collect 7 800 units of blood during the campaign, which runs from December 1 to mid-January. The organisation hopes to reach this goal through community blood drives and static clinics in Bulawayo, Harare, Mutare, Masvingo and Gweru.
“Our festive season is going to run from the 1st of December to the mid of January because this is what we consider the festive season, as people are celebrating Christmas right into the New Year. Our target for December is 7 800 units. So we hope that when Zimbabweans heed our call, the target of 7 800 units is very much doable,” Marowa said. She added that static clinics will remain open until December 24 and will only close on December 25, December 26 and January 1.
Marowa said NBSZ is on track to meet its annual targets.
“So, let’s start with our annual target for 2025. From January to December, the intention as National Blood Service is to collect 97 500 units for the entire year,” she said. She explained that for the period between January and October, the organisation’s target was about 81 900 units. “And when you look at actual performance, out of the 81 900 units we were supposed to collect, we managed to collect 73 750 which gives us a remarkable 90 percent achievement. So it means that we’ve been doing pretty well towards achieving our target,” she said.
She noted that last year NBSZ collected 77 120 units. “That means in this last quarter of the year, if we keep on performing the way we’ve done through the support of Zimbabweans, we are poised to do much better than what we did last year. Let’s do a comparative with the statistics for last year. The year 2024, we achieved a total collection of 77 120. And already, I’m telling you that for this particular year, we are already at 73 000, meaning that we are going to surpass what we got January to December 2024. And we did well compared to what we did in the year 2023.”
This year’s campaign is themed Jingle All The Way To The Blood Bank. Marowa said the theme is meant to inspire generosity during the holiday period. “So today, as we launch the festive season campaign for 2027, with the theme Jingle all the way to the blood bank, we as National Blood Service Zimbabwe are saying that this season, while many people are unwrapping gifts and sharing presents, we are inviting Zimbabweans to actually extend their arms to a true cause that truly matters, which is the cause of blood donation.”
She said the festive period often comes with higher demand for blood because of increased travel, celebrations and medical emergencies. At the same time, schools close and young donors travel, which reduces collections.
“We know that the festive season brings with it increased demand for blood due to travel, celebrations, other medical emergencies as well. Yet this is also the time when we face also a crisis of blood shortages because we know our schools are closed and our youths are spread all over the country enjoying the festive season with their friends.”
Marowa added, “Therefore, we are counting on you as the Republic of Zimbabwe to come together to share the gift of life, the gift that keeps on giving, which is the gift of life.”
She encouraged both new and returning donors to participate.
