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Writes Chimeno Azriel
The National Blood Service Zimbabwe (NBSZ) celebrated March, Women’s Month in style with the encouragement to the public to donate blood to save the lives of many.
This was revealed during the commemoration to mark Women’s Month held in the capital city, Harare.
Women play an important role in giving life. They lose blood during childbirth. The NBSZ highlighted women’s participation in the society.
The celebration ran under the theme ‘Inspire Inclusion’ and NBSZ saw it fit to demonstrate the importance of blood donation in supporting women who lose blood during childbirth and those battling cancer and other ailments.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Nation Blood Service Zimbabwe, Ms Lucy Marowa had this to say: “Blood donation is essential as blood is needed by all, especially women during childbirth, where complications can arise unexpectedly or in the fight against cancer where blood transfusion is often a crucial part of treatment. Women rely on the generosity of blood donors to provide them with the gift of life,” said Ms Marowa.
Marowa added that the commemoration of Women’s Month was a reminder of the contributions women make every day and encouraged both men and women alike to support this cause by donating blood.
“Blood donation emphasises that honouring women goes beyond words or flowers and it can be done through tangible actions that can potentially help save lives,” said Marowa.
She added that women need to be celebrated daily for their achievements and contributions to society.
“Women need to be celebrated daily but let us not only honour the achievements and contributions of women but also let us extend our support to those who rely on blood donations by donating blood for their health and well-being. We all have the opportunity to make a tangible difference in the lives of individuals facing medical challenges. We should have a collective commitment to building a more compassionate and resilient society and nation,” said Marowa, who was awarded the Megafest Business Award as the Female CEO of the year 2023.
According to research by the World Health Organization ( WHO), severe bleeding after childbirth – postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. Each year, about 14 million women experience PPH, resulting in about 70,000 maternal deaths globally. Therefore, blood is essential because even when women survive, they often need urgent surgical intervention to control the bleeding.