History And Background
The Salisbury Districts Blood Transfusion Service was established in 1958 as a not-for-profit making company under the Companies Act. The Bulawayo Districts Blood Transfusion Service was later established in 1960. Both services were established through the initiative of private medical practitioners. In order to ensure conformity of practice and to provide a cost effective national service, it was agreed to form a single transfusion service.
The National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) was then formed and registered as a non-profit making organisation (CR442/58) in May 1989 following the amalgamation of the existing Bulawayo Districts Blood Transfusion Service and the Harare Districts Blood Transfusion Service. The Service has a constitution that governs its operations as embodied in the Memorandum and Articles of Association
In 2005 the organization was renamed from National Blood Transfusion Service to National Blood Service Zimbabwe; however people are still calling the service Blood Transfusion Services. Before NBSZ set up its own mobile teams the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) used to do all bookings for mobile teams as well as the collecting of blood and NBSZ would do the testing in its laboratories.
In executing its mandate, NBSZ seeks to improve the quality of life of patients in need of blood without any form of discrimination. NBSZ’s services cover the whole country and this is done through five regional offices in; Mutare (for Manicaland Region), Harare (for the three Mashonaland Provinces), Gweru (for Midlands Region), Masvingo (Masvingo Province) and Bulawayo for (Matebeleland North, & South and the Bulawayo Metropolitan provinces). NBSZ has, thus, strategically positioned itself in order to respond effectively and efficiently to people’s needs.
The Service has a constitution that governs its operations as embodied in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
NBSZ is mandated by the ministry of Health and Child Welfare to collect, process and distribute safe adequate blood and blood products.
This is achieved through:
- Collection of blood from voluntary non-remunerated donors as embodied in the Code of Ethics and Principles of Blood Donation and Transfusion of the ISBT (General Assembly ISBT I12: 2000).
- Testing protocols that ensure blood donated is safe for transfusion (Transfusion Transmissible Infections and blood group).
- Processing of blood into various components.
- Testing of donated units for compatibility to patient.
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