Malawi Blood Transfusion Service (MBTS) says youth participation in blood donation is key to collection of adequate blood in the country.

Acting senior Public Relations Assistant, Christina Kilowe said as an organization they created a youth wing called Club 25 to help mobilizing the youth in blood donation.

She said this initiative helps to raise awareness to the youth on how they should keep themselves safe from bad activities that can result in contraction of sexually transmitted diseases.

“The Club 25 members pledge to donate blood 25 times in their lifetime and this ensures that we have some blood donors who are committed to make that donation each time they are needed,” Kilowe said.

“In order to ensure blood adequacy in the country all we need is regular blood donors-people who can make a commitment.”

Kilowe disclosed that the country only needs 120,000 blood units per year and this can be achieved if there can be more committed blood donors.

“The annual requirement of blood in the country is 120,000 units and if we could only have 60,000 people who can make a commitment to donate two times in a year we could actually achieve the target,” she said.

“If we could have 40,000 people who can make a commitment to donate three times we could also achieve the annual requirement.”