By Veronica Mrema
Have you ever imagined a situation where a patient in a hospital bed urgently needs a life-saving blood transfusion, but the required blood type is not available, or the hospital is struggling with a critical shortage of blood?
Such situations force doctors to make frantic calls from one hospital to another, or to contact the National Blood Transfusion Service to find out whether the needed blood can be found elsewhere.
It becomes an especially difficult situation when the number of patients in need is high while the amount of blood available in storage is far below the actual demand.
In such circumstances, some patients are unable to survive long enough to wait for the blood to arrive. Some lose their lives.
“I have encountered such a situation before. There was a patient who needed a specific blood type. I remember it was B-positive, and at that particular time it was unavailable.”
For Adoph Jumanne, a Nursing Officer at Muhimbili National Hospital, this is not merely a story to tell. It is a reality he encounters in the course of his work, although not on a daily basis.
“Fortunately, the Ministry of Health has established communication channels between health facilities. For example, there are times when Muhimbili runs short of blood and we seek assistance from Lugalo.
“We even reach out to hospitals in other regions. You may find that a patient needs blood while we have already run out of stock,” he says.
He adds “We have to communicate and find out where compatible blood can be obtained.
“You may discover that the blood is available, but it is located far away. Before it arrives, you may be told that the patient has already passed away. If we had larger blood stocks through voluntary donations, it would help us save many more lives.”
WHAT IS THE CURRENT SITUATION?
In Tanzania, there is still a large number of people who are not motivated to donate blood voluntarily.
As a result, the country has not been able to achieve the level recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), which advises countries to collect blood equivalent to at least one percent of their population in order to meet actual demand.
With Tanzania’s population standing at about 60 million people according to the 2022 Population and Housing Census, the country requires approximately 600,000 units of safe blood every year.
However, in 2025, only 71 percent of the collection target was achieved, indicating that a significant shortage still exists.
The groups most in need of blood transfusions include women during childbirth, patients living with sickle cell disease and various cancers, road accident victims, and children.
Despite being among the largest recipients of blood transfusions, women still lag behind men when it comes to voluntary blood donation. Why?
“Some women are afraid because of physical changes and simple fear. As you know, women menstruate every month, so some believe that donating blood will leave them with even less blood,” explains Anitha Magese.
This belief has no scientific basis or evidence. It is simply a misconception that has become common among some women.
Others also believe that donating blood exposes women to different diseases, a perception that discourages them from becoming donors.
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AN EXTRA STRENGTH
“Many people still hold different beliefs and misconceptions. I think we, as health professionals, have a huge responsibility to continue educating the public,” says Dr. Rhobi Jeremiah.
She adds “The truth is that the entire community needs to understand and take action. When it comes to blood donation, women are naturally compassionate.
“We care deeply and often want to bring about positive changes that directly impact society.
“Many women are afraid because of fear itself the needle, or the thought that they might faint. Men, on the other hand, often think, ‘Why not?’
“My fellow sisters and mothers, we can make a difference. We need to overcome that fear as women.
“As health professionals, we have a responsibility to continue educating the public. Women should not be afraid. When they receive the right information, they should take action.”
For the past four years, Anitha has been donating blood voluntarily and says she has never experienced any health complications or deficiencies as a result.
“I started in 2022 after completing secondary school. My mother used to donate blood and one day she told me, ‘Anitha, let’s go and donate blood.’ I told her I was afraid.
“She reassured me and said there was nothing to fear. That was my first time donating blood, during a faith-based blood donation campaign.
“I was nervous at first, but afterward I felt completely normal. I did not experience anything unusual.
“Because of my mother’s influence, I developed a passion for blood donation. She always told me that many people desperately need blood, and that inspired me to give.
“I noticed no difference after donating. Nothing happened to me. Since then, I have continued donating blood, and I have now donated five times,” she recalls.
YOUTH AND LIFESTYLE
Another challenge involves young people, many of whom are hesitant to donate blood because they fear discovering their health status.
Johnson Focus, a voluntary blood donor, explains:
“One of the biggest challenges facing young men is fear, anxiety and pressure.
“Many young men engage in relationships without adequate education and sometimes have multiple partners, which creates uncertainty and fear.
“They begin asking themselves which partner may have exposed them to a health problem. As a result, when it comes to donating blood, they know they will be screened for HIV and other diseases.
“Because they know they will be tested, they start worrying: ‘What if I am HIV positive?’ That fear creates enormous pressure.”
This view is echoed by Neema Mohamed, Executive Director of Bone and Blood Foundation.
“Young people are entering relationships and some immediately ask whether HIV testing is part of the blood donation process.
“You find that fear follows them. They lack confidence when it comes to testing. It is different from many older adults who are married, have families, and generally feel more comfortable donating blood regularly.”
Mnandwa Mnandwa adds “There is still a lack of education about blood donation, and many misconceptions persist.
“Some people believe that if you donate blood and later fail to donate again within a certain period, you may suffer negative health effects.
“If such myths are eliminated and replaced with accurate information, I believe we will see a huge wave of young people becoming motivated to donate blood, and we will save many lives.”
He is now donating blood for the eighth time.
“I was not motivated because I had experienced a personal problem or because a relative needed blood. No.
“Ever since secondary school, once I met the required age, weight and height criteria, I began donating blood. What motivated me was my heart.
“I learned that there were many people in desperate need of blood and that they depended on people like us for hope.
“The thought that what I donate could save someone’s life inspired me to continue.”
Neema says youth education remains critical if Tanzania is to achieve 100 percent of its blood requirements.
“At Bone and Blood Foundation, people aged between 25 and 45 make up about 90 percent of our voluntary donor database.
“Today, because of education and awareness, you can wake up in the morning and find a message from someone saying, ‘I’m going to donate blood today.’”
However, maintaining long-term commitment among young donors remains a challenge.
“Young people are still exploring life. Today they may attend an awareness session and donate blood, but tomorrow other life commitments take over.
“Another challenge is mobility. People move from one place to another, making follow-up difficult. Once they relocate and lose motivation, it becomes easy to lose contact with them,” she says.
Johnson also advises doctors and health professionals to adopt more youth-friendly communication approaches in order to keep young people engaged in voluntary blood donation.
“Health professionals should understand that our generation is different from previous generations and cannot always be approached in the same way.
“Our generation has its own language, trends and ways of communicating.
“There is a language that works when speaking to young people. The same language may not work when speaking to older adults.”
Greater emphasis is therefore being placed on strengthening awareness campaigns and communication through digital platforms in order to attract young people and build a lasting culture of voluntary blood donation among the new generation.
Chapisha Maoni