The National Blood Service of Zimbabwe (NBSZ) is appealing to couples to celebrate Valentine’s Day today in style by donating to the national blood bank
NBSZ spokesperson Esther Massundah in an interview in the capital yesterday said this year’s campaign would be running under the theme: “Have a Heart this Valentine’s Day to Donate Blood and Save a Life”.
Massundah said: “Our main objective is to increase the adult donor base, and the purpose of the Valentine’s blood drive is to encourage adult donors to spend part of their day sharing their love and donating blood. Five special gifts will be given to the first five couples who come and donate blood.
“In Bulawayo, the NBSZ will also have a blood drive week where couples are encouraged to spend part of their Valentine’s Day donating blood in an effort to boost the blood bank levels. Two celebrity icons are to perform on the last day of the blood drive at TM Hyper.”
She added the Bulawayo campaign would be running under the theme: “Couples Go Red. Donate Blood this Valentine’s Day.”
The campaign will end on February 18 with celebrities such as Sandra Ndebele and Ndumiso Gumede expected to grace the occasion.
Massundah said this year’s target was to collect 75 000 units of blood. As at Friday last week, blood stock levels stood at 12 days’ supply, which equates to over 2 000 units of blood.
Valentine’s Day is observed on February 14 honouring one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. It was first established by Pope Gelasius I in 496AD, but was deleted from the General Roman Calendar of Saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI.
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By the 15th century, it had evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery and sending greeting cards.
