Staff Reporter
Windhoek-A total of 98 Bank Windhoek staff members and customers donated blood at the bank’s fourth round of blood donation clinics last week in Windhoek.
It is common knowledge that as the festive season approaches, the demand for blood rises.
Thus far this year a total of 396 donations were made at the bank’s bi-monthly blood donation clinics. These donations can potentially save 1,188 lives.
“So far we have already exceeded our target of potentially saving a thousand lives,” said Bank Windhoek’s corporate wellness consultant, Marjolize Scholtz.
Currently only 0.8 percent of Namibians donate blood. Although lost blood volumes can be temporarily replaced by synthetic solutions in trauma situations, these do not contain the necessary constituents to sustain the patient.
Donor blood can mean the difference between life and death. On a monthly basis, Namibia requires more than 2,800 units of blood. Currently there are just over 18,000 voluntary donors. In 2016 the blood service collected 32,000 lifesaving donations.
“I am a frequent blood donor. It feels good to know that my blood can save lives,” said Jesmine Titus of Bank Windhoek’s finance department.
Naemi Uzigo, from the bank’s treasury department, who donated blood for the third time this year, said that for her it means a lot to save three people’s lives in a single blood donation. “I will continue doing it,” she said.
“I donate blood every second month – six times a year. I do it for the accident victims, the elderly and the pregnant women that are usually in need of blood,” said Simon Ndjiva, from Bank Windhoek’s cash centre.