No blood shortage at UTH, CDH –…

Government has dismissed reports that there is shortage of blood at the Cancer Diseases Hospital (CDH) and at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka. Acting Minister of Health Cornelius Mweetwa has assured that blood collections by the Zambia National Blood Transfusion Service (ZNBTS) will increase to 205,000 units in 2025 from 104,000 units in 2021, representing a 100 percent. Mr Mweetwa says the Service that is responsible for collection, storage, and distribution of blood in Zambia has been building up its collection effort to ensure adequate stock is available to patients requiring transfusion across the country.

Mr Mweetwa was responding to a question raised by Patriotic Front Kamfinsa Member of Parliament Christopher Kang’ombe who wanted to find out if Government is aware of the shortage of blood supply at the Cancer Diseases Hospital and the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka and what urgent measures are being taken to ensure the availability of blood supply to avert loss of lives. “There is no shortage of blood at UTH and CDH. The Service has sufficient stock of blood,” he assured.

Mr Mweetwa explained that the annual target is 400,000 blood units. He further noted that from January 1 and February 18 this year, the Lusaka Blood Transfusion Centre collected 4,872 units of blood which was distributed to six hospitals. Mr Mweetwa stated that CDH received 221 units; UTH Adults, 442 units; UTH Children’s wing, 110 units; UTH Women and Newborn, 193 units, bringing the total to 966 units supplied between January 1s and February 18, 2026.

[paywall]

He revealed that the Lusaka Provincial Blood Centre had 274 units of blood in stock as of yesterday, February 18, 2026 that was supplied to 56 hospitals within Lusaka Province, as well as in parts of Southern, Eastern, and Central Provinces to public, military, faith-based, and private health institutions. Additionally, Mr Mweetwa revealed that government procured 10 motor vehicles 20 blood refrigerators for storage of red blood cells, 20 plasma freezers for storage, 10 platelet incubators, 90 blood transport cooler boxes for transportation, procured automatic blood cell separators, blood cells, and blood platelets an effort and measures to boost blood collection. Mr Mweetwa added that the government has been deploying additional staff and has since urged citizens aged between 16 and 65 to be active blood donors on a voluntary basis.

[/paywall]