Windhoek
The immunisation campaign against measles and rubella to be launched countrywide next week will have a negative impact on the country’s blood supply, as close to 80 percent of blood donors will not be eligible to supply blood.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services will be vaccinating people from nine months old to 39 years against rubella and measles, as from 11 July to 22. As a result, donors who have received the vaccination will be deferred from donating blood for 30 days. The educational officer at the Namibian Blood Transfusion Services, Titus Shivute, explained that individuals aged 16 to 39 make up 80 percent of blood donors. He explained that as part of safety procedures people vaccinated cannot donate blood until at least 30 days after vaccination.
“This will have a major major effect on blood supply,” said Shivute, who also called on people aged 40 years and above to donate blood during July and August.
Blood donations generally take a steady decline in winter as many donors suffer from colds and flu, explained Zita Tobin, the head of public relations, promotions and recruitment at the Namibian Blood Transfusion Services.
In addition, manager at the clinic division Judith Sinvula explained that in almost all cases donor eligibility is based on the medical condition of the donor and the medication prescribed.
“As long as the condition is under control and you are healthy, blood donation is usually permitted. However, we need to defer donors for four weeks after immunisations for German measles (rubella), measles, mumps and rubella, chickenpox and shingles,” Sinvula explained. She also appealed to donors to donate blood before they are immunised. “It’s just a requirement to ensure that the blood we supply is safe for the patient and that the blood supplier is also safe,” she added.
Shivute said emergency blood donation clinics would be set up on Saturday. This will be at Maerua Mall and Auas Valley Shopping Centre from 09h00 to 14h30.
In addition, on Saturday there will be an emergency clinic set up at the Biltong Festival at SKW Sportsfield from 10h00 until 16h00.