Zimbabweans 'import' blood from Zambia

Victoria Falls and Hwange residents who require blood for transfusion are resorting to crossing over into Zambia to purchase the precious liquid at a cost of US$50 compared to US$120 and US$140 at local government and private hospitals per pint respectively.

This came to light when the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health toured the National Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ) headquarters in Harare this Wednesday morning to get an appreciation of the processes involved in the collection, testing and storage of blood.

Chairperson of the committee, Dr Ruth Labode sais while the committee appreciates the costs involved in packaging blood for transfusion, it is disturbing to note that Zimbabweans are going to buy blood in neighbouring countries like Zambia because of the exorbitant prices locally.

Laboratory Services Director in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mangwanya explained that the government is equally concerned with the price of blood and the recent injection of funds into the NBSZ is part of measures to reduce the cost of the precious liquid.

The cost of blood is pegged at US$42 in Malawi and US$50 in Zambia, while a pint now pegged at US$120 from US$135 in all local government hospitals.

Local private institutions charge US$140 for a pint.

Blood for pregnant mothers however remains free.