Pretoria - A pressing need to save the lives of those in need of blood transfusions has given rise to a collaboration between the City of Tshwane and the South African National Blood Service (SANBS).
The two entities have embarked on a campaign to encourage the public to make more donations.
In this regard, a blood donation drive by the city and SANBS was taken to Giant Stadium in Soshanguve.
SANBS medical director Dr Karin van den Berg recently made a clarion call to the public to donate blood owing to blood stocks running critically low across the flood-hit KwaZulu-Natal.
Echoing the same sentiment was Tshwane’s Health MMC Rina Marx, who encouraged members of the public to come through for the blood donation campaign “to save the lives of those in critical need of blood transfusions”.
The drive started last week with some municipal workers responding positively to the call to donate blood at Lucas van den Berg Hall in Pretoria West.
Marx hailed the first day of the partnership between the city and SANBS to get municipal employees to donate blood as a success.
“SANBS had indicated that if 25 employees participated and donated blood on the first day, they would regard the event as a success,” she said.
She was, however, impressed when 37 “caring” employees came forward to make their blood donations to save lives.
“This translates to 111 lives that can be saved, given that it is estimated that one unit of blood can save up to three lives. As MMC for Health, I want to join the acting city manager, Mmaseabata Mutlaneng, in thanking those employees who participated in this blood donation drive,” she said.
Marx said: “In addition to donating blood, free medical services, such as Covid-19 testing and vaccination, and TB and HIV screenings, will be offered. Let us participate in this blood drive and show that we are a city that cares.”
Pretoria News