On 12 June 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) joined the Namibia Blood Transfusion Service (NamBTS), the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS), and other partners in commemorating World Blood Donor Day under the global theme, “Give blood, give hope: together we save lives”. This annual event serves as a powerful tribute to the millions of voluntary, unpaid blood donors who selflessly give others a second chance at life. The 2025 commemoration honored these everyday heroes for their vital role in saving lives, strengthening communities, and demonstrating the true spirit of solidarity and compassion.

Across the WHO African Region, encouraging progress has been made in blood donation. The donation rate has increased from 4.5 units per 1,000 people in 2015 to 6 units per 1,000 people in 2023, totaling approximately 5.2 million units where 70% of which came from voluntary donors. At the national level, Namibia recorded 50,979 blood units from 34,559 donors in 2024, representing about 1.2% of the country’s population. While Namibia’s blood donation rate stands at 16.9 units per 1,000 people, above the WHO recommendation of 10 units per 1,000, this is still far behind high-income countries, where rates averaging 29 units are collected per 1,000 people.

Speaking on behalf of WHO Namibia Representative, Dr. Temptation Chigova commended the generosity of donors and acknowledged their vital contributions to saving lives. “Every donation is a gift of hope to someone in need these include but not limited to women who excessively bleed whilst giving birth, which is one of the number one cause of maternal deaths, accident victims and cancer patients to mention a few. The World Blood Donor Day reminds us of the urgent and ongoing need for safe, regular blood donations. Access to safe blood is a cornerstone of effective and resilient health systems,” she said. She further emphasized the importance of collective action saying that “As a nation, we must intensify our efforts to promote regular blood donation. We encourage institutions, schools, and workplaces to partner with the Namibia Blood Transfusion Service in raising awareness and hosting donation clinics throughout the year.”

The event concluded with the Namibia Blood Transfusion Service recognizing and awarding institutions that are going an extra mile in promoting blood donation in their organizations and dedicated blood donors for their outstanding contributions to saving lives and promoting community health. “We are grateful for the generous donations made by Namibians, which enable us to fulfill our mandate of providing safe blood and blood products to the nation,” said Mr. Israel Chipare, Chief Executive Officer of NamBTS. “We take pride in the fact that Namibia is among the countries with the safest blood supply globally, thanks to the specialized systems and rigorous safety standards we uphold because safety always comes first,” he added.

NamBTS operates 242 clinics (fixed and mobile) across the country, which contribute 42% of the national blood reserves. The remaining 58% is collected through other donation clinics as well as from the education and private sectors. Approximately 83% of donated blood is supplied to state hospitals, while the remaining 17% supports private hospitals and other medical facilities.