Abstract

Opportunities and Challenges of Blood Donation and Blood Therapy in Ethiopia

Blood is our body fluid that delivers essential substances (nutrients and oxygen) to the cells and exports metabolic waste products away from cells. Blood donation is a procedure in which a voluntary and healthy individual has his blood drawn for transfusion to the one who needs it. Securing safe blood components, based on voluntary, unpaid blood donation, are an important nationwide aim to prevent scarcity of blood. The donated blood has a huge role in surgery, injury, delivery of a baby and other bleeding cases. However, in a lot of low and middle-income countries like Ethiopia, blood provision is significantly inadequate. There is more reliance on family replacement and paid donors which are expected to have transfusion transmissible infections. This is because of many factors including lack of awareness and motivation, lack of knowledge, poor attitude, misconception, and so on. Without humane gifts of noble donors, that also from the heart, many lives might have lost for want of blood. Blood donation is the most generous and may be considered as the leading ever contribution to mankind. Hence, the young generation should be motivated to carry out this charitable activity. All the smiths and misconceptions should be removed in order that adequate extent of blood is made available at national and regional blood banks of Ethiopia for saving the life of patients. Thus, increasing knowledge, hastening the development of good attitude towards blood donation and establishing more donor clubs in the society particularly among students within high schools/preparatory schools and Universities of Ethiopia should be the target.

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