Blood Donation: Need For Urgent Collective Action

The National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) is issuing a pressing appeal for collective action to avert a potentially catastrophic blood shortage in the nation's hospitals. As blood reserves dwindle, the service warns that countless lives hang in the balance. In a bid to galvanise support, the NBTS has reached out to the government, media, and public, urging a united response to this critical health crisis. The call to action was given during a press conference in Yaounde on April 7, 2026, which brought together hospital administrators, NBTS officials, and media representatives. The meeting tackled the pressing issue of blood transfusion crisis, characterised by inadequate funding and lack of public awareness. Professor Dora Mbanya, Director General of the National Blood Transfusion Centre (NBTS), presented an instant action plan aimed at enhancing blood availability and donor management. In her opening remarks, Prof Dora Mbanya noted that despite endeavours to augment blood collection, the country persists in facing a substantial shortfall, meeting a mere 50 per cent of its annual blood requirements. She cited the World Health Organisation's recommendation that 1-3 per cent of a population ought to comprise voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors, lamenting that currently, a mere 26.7 per cent of donors in the country are voluntary, falling woefully short of the 80 per cent target. The Director of the Medico-technical Department of NBTS, Professor Claude Tayou, provided an overview of the Centre's efforts to address the shortage of blood products. He stated that the Blood Transfusion Service is confronted with two major challenges: availability and quality. It was revealed that the lack of voluntary donors compels hospitals to rely on family replacement donations, whilst the high costs associated with safety testing necessitate financial contributions from patients. Furthermore, the scarcit...