News / Health
Valentine's Day, blood drive, 'give love, give blood'
14 Feb 2011 at 09:25hrs | Views
Zimbabwe is launching a blood drive on Valentine's Day to ease dire shortages at the national blood bank.
Officials say 130,000 blood donors are needed for this year's "give love, give blood" campaign. Last year, only 57,000 people gave blood to the state blood transfusion service.
Health Minister Henry Madzorera said Monday that Zimbabweans generally are needle-shy and believe there are enough donors already. Some are also afraid to learn their HIV status - official figures put Zimbabwe's HIV inf
Most blood supplies - more than 70 percent - come from schoolchildren. Adults received 80 percent of those donations. The two-week campaign, aided by the U.S. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, targets adults.
Officials say 130,000 blood donors are needed for this year's "give love, give blood" campaign. Last year, only 57,000 people gave blood to the state blood transfusion service.
Most blood supplies - more than 70 percent - come from schoolchildren. Adults received 80 percent of those donations. The two-week campaign, aided by the U.S. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, targets adults.
Source - AP
