health

Dec. 19, 2019

LINEO MABEKEBEKE

3 min read

BNP joins blood donation drive

BNP joins blood donation drive

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MASERU – Amid calls for a massive blood donation campaign, the Basotho National Party (BNP) this week joined the fray – launching a trend-setting drive for its members to donate blood at its headquarters in the capital, Maseru.

The Lesotho Blood Transfusion Service (LBTS) has been facing a serious shortage of blood at its reserves as early as 2017, when numbers in donors dwindled. Most parents at that time barred their school-going teenage children from donating blood, drying rich source of donors which the LBTS had for ages relied on.

Several appeals have since been made, but the numbers continue to drop as even potential individual donors appear to lose interest or are driven away by unexplained fears.

Interviewed during the campaign, BNP deputy leader, Machesetsa Mofomobe said their efforts were propelled in the main by an earlier national appeal to the public to volunteer donating blood.

“This is more critical now that we are entering the most accident prone period of the year, the Christmas holiday, that bloats demand for blood transfusions,” he said.

Mr Mofomobe said the BNP found it a national duty to call on its membership to assist in boosting LBTS reserves, for the benefit of all who would find themselves in need of a transfusion this festive season.

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“The drive, however, is not meant for card-carrying BNP supporters only; any passer-by is welcome to just drop in here now and be a good citizen and donate blood,” he said.

BNP Motimposo constituency committee member, Tefo Mpobole – who lost his son in June after failure to receive a blood transfusion, told this reporter that since the tragedy, he learnt to value the significance of donating blood.

“Be it for a family member or donating for anyone who might need a transfusion in future.“I have made regular blood donation one of my most important voluntary commitments, especially in that it saves lives,” Mr Mpobole said.

The Motimposo constituency deputy chairman said the BNP campaign was a huge success, adding that it was a drive to which a lot of people responded.He noted: “Because of blood donors, the life of someone in a community, or even in a family has been, or will be saved.” Present at the campaign was the deputy President of the Senate, Tšepo Monethi who voiced appreciation that the BNP had heeded the call to intensify efforts to donate blood.

“This was in line with another appeal in the Upper House by Senator Kemiso Mosenene who motivated fellow Senators to donate blood and encouraged their people to donate as we go into these forthcoming festivities.”

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