Masvingo Bureau
The National Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ) in partnership with Facebook Africa has launched an online platform that will help in the mobilisation of blood donors.
Zimbabwe is the eight African country to launch the platform called the Facebook Africa blood donation feature.
Addressing a virtual media conference hosted by NBSZ today, Facebook Africa’s policy director Mr Kojo Boakye said over 70 million donors between the age of 18 and 65 years, have so far signed up the blood donation feature globally since its launch in October 2017.
Mr Boakye said the feature would be very instrumental in blood donor recruitment, alerting people when there is urgent need for blood donation, sharing of information regarding blood donation marketing programmes and highlighting community visits by NBSZ teams.
“World Health Organisation has since okayed the Facebook platform as a better and safe blood donor mobilisation strategy in view of the outbreak of Covid- 19,” said Mr Kojo.
NBSZ public affairs manager Ms Esther Masundah said the launch of platform came after a series of meetings between NBSZ and Facebook Africa executives.
She thanked Facebook Africa saying the innovative platform would go a long way in promoting NBSZ blood donation programmes during and beyond the Covid-19 lockdown period.
– HERALD
