ZANZIBAR: ZANZIBAR Ministry of Health has stepped up its campaign to promote voluntary and safe blood donation, a critical initiative aimed at strengthening healthcare services and saving patients in urgent need—particularly pregnant women, children and accident victims.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Mgereza Miraji Mzee, said the government will continue mobilising citizens to donate blood as part of a broader strategy to improve emergency medical care across the islands.
Dr Mzee made the remarks after participating in a blood donation drive held alongside a solidarity walk to congratulate President Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi on his election victory and his role in strengthening peace and national unity. The event was held at Mapinduzi Square in Michenzani.
He said the availability of safe blood remains a cornerstone of effective healthcare delivery, particularly in referral, regional and district hospitals where demand for blood continues to rise.
The campaign, he explained, is designed to support the most vulnerable groups, including pregnant women facing complications during childbirth, children suffering from anaemia and patients requiring blood transfusions due to various medical conditions.
Dr Mzee noted that shortages of safe blood have, in some cases, placed patients’ lives at risk—an avoidable situation if communities respond positively and actively participate in voluntary blood donation.
He said Zanzibar requires between 18,000 and 20,000 units of blood annually, adding that recent collection efforts have shown encouraging progress following intensified public mobilisation.
During the current drive, health authorities are targeting the collection of 1,000 units of blood to ensure hospitals maintain adequate supplies for patients in need.
He added that the exercise is particularly important ahead of the holy month of Ramadhan, a period during which blood donation levels traditionally decline.
“These pre-Ramadhan activities help the ministry prepare in advance so that we do not face blood shortages,” he said.
Dr Mzee said the response to the blood donation bonanza has been positive, with more than 1,000 young people turning up to donate blood.
He further noted that over the past five years, the government has invested heavily in healthcare infrastructure, including the construction of 10 new district hospitals in Unguja and Pemba, as well as Lumumba Regional Hospital— all of which depend heavily on a steady and reliable supply of safe blood.
For his part, Director of Prevention and Health Education at the Ministry of Health, Dr Slim Salim Slim, said Zanzibar continues to face a serious challenge of anaemia, particularly among pregnant women.
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He said nearly 48 per cent of women suffer from anaemia, noting that about 65 per cent of maternal deaths are linked to blood loss during childbirth.
Dr Slim stressed that one of the most effective strategies to reduce maternal deaths is ensuring that blood is readily available during childbirth, allowing for rapid replacement of blood lost during delivery.
He said blood donation bonanzas play a vital role in ensuring the Zanzibar Safe Blood Unit maintains sufficient supplies to meet the needs of all hospitals.
Meanwhile, Manager of the Zanzibar Safe Blood Bank, Dr Masoud Ali Masoud, said the ongoing drive is expected to collect 1,000 bottles of blood, which will be stored and distributed to hospitals in both Unguja and Pemba.
He said during the 2024/2025 financial year, district hospital collection units managed to collect 18,355 units of blood, representing 92 per cent of the annual target of 20,000 units—an achievement he described as unprecedented.
Some of the youths who took part in the exercise said donating blood is a vital humanitarian act that helps save lives, particularly among pregnant women and accident victims.
Mr Ali Hassan Haji described blood donation as an act of charity, urging fellow youths to embrace the culture of giving voluntarily.
“Donate today so that one day you may also be helped, because there will come a time when you too may need blood,” he said.
Another donor, Ms Asma Mbaraka Makame, said she was pleased to participate, noting that her donation could help save the lives of patients in hospitals across Unguja and Pemba.