Even before the emergence of the new coronavirus, Africa’s blood supply fell short of demand.
The pandemic has increased the deficit, raising risks to people needing treatment for ailments and medical emergencies, health officials say.
“The problem that we are seeing is that we have a reduction [in] the number of blood donors during this outbreak because people are afraid to go to blood services,” said Dr. Andre Loua, the World Health Organization’s Africa region technical officer for blood safety.
Along with fears of infection, countries’ restrictions on mobility and trade affect the availability of blood and of reagents, bags and other products needed to draw, test and store it, added Jean-Baptiste Nikiema, the WHO regional adviser for essential medicine, who joined Loua in a Skype interview with VOA last month.
“So this is taking us to high risk of shortages of products to test the blood and also to collect the blood. And in the coming months, if the situation is not better, we can get in trouble.”
The WHO hopes to raise awareness of the need for blood and to spur donations globally through Sunday’s commemoration of World Blood Donor Day, an annual event since 2005.
The pandemic has increased the deficit, raising risks to people needing treatment for ailments and medical emergencies, health officials say.
“The problem that we are seeing is that we have a reduction [in] the number of blood donors during this outbreak because people are afraid to go to blood services,” said Dr. Andre Loua, the World Health Organization’s Africa region technical officer for blood safety.
Along with fears of infection, countries’ restrictions on mobility and trade affect the availability of blood and of reagents, bags and other products needed to draw, test and store it, added Jean-Baptiste Nikiema, the WHO regional adviser for essential medicine, who joined Loua in a Skype interview with VOA last month.
“So this is taking us to high risk of shortages of products to test the blood and also to collect the blood. And in the coming months, if the situation is not better, we can get in trouble.”
The WHO hopes to raise awareness of the need for blood and to spur donations globally through Sunday’s commemoration of World Blood Donor Day, an annual event since 2005.