PM Abiy, First Lady Donate Blood Amid COVID-19 Crisis

Addis Ababa 22/2020 (ENA) Following the call from the Ministry of Health and the Ethiopian National Blood Bank Service, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and First Lady Zinash Tayachew have donated blood this morning. 

After donation, Premier Abiy said that “While our health systems are actively confronting theCOVID-19 crisis, patients with cancer, mothers in delivery as well as individuals that have lost blood from various accidents are dependent on generous blood donors for their survival.”

Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, there are still other individuals suffering from various health problems that require blood, he noted.

“Give blood and save a life”, Abiy said adding that “together we can and we will overcome every hurdle”.

Strengthen solidarity and cooperation in the bid to control COVID-19 in Ethiopia, Ministry of Health recently recalled for more blood donation to save the lives of patients with cancer, accidents and delivering mothers.

Though blood transfusion saves millions of lives, the need and the actual number of donations are not balanced in Ethiopia.

The average annual national requirement of blood in Ethiopia is 100,000 units per year, but only 43 percent is collected.

According to the World Health Organization, the number of voluntary blood donors in Ethiopia is only 22 percent, which attributed to low blood collection in the country.