By Feni Hiveluah
The Blood Transfusion Service of Namibia (NamBTS) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have joined the global community to commemorate World Blood Donor Day on 14 June 2026, under the theme “One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives.”.
According to NamBTS, this year’s global campaign aims to elevate blood donation from a routine medical act into a deeply human gesture of solidarity and collective responsibility.
The initiative highlights the critical role of regular, unpaid donations in securing safe, accessible blood supplies used worldwide to manage pregnancy-related complications, treat severe childhood anemia, and support complex medical procedures.
“This year’s campaign slogan, “One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives,” places humanity at the heart of every blood donation, suggesting that each act carries compassion, solidarity, and care for others.”
To encourage a new generation of regular donors, the global campaign features the Drop Your Drop initiative, an interactive web platform where individuals can pledge their support and join a global movement.
The call for participation is particularly urgent in Namibia, where only 1.1 percent of the total population currently donates blood.
As outlined in the press release, NamBTS data from 2025 reveals a slight downward trend in local donations, with a 1.1 percent decrease in units collected (50,397 units) and a 0.3 percent decrease in active donors (32,533 donors) compared to the previous period.
Despite this small donor base, Namibia continues to punch above its weight regionally, collecting 17 units of blood for every 1,000 citizens.
This is significantly higher than the African average of 7 units per 1,000 people and stands on par with upper-middle-income countries like South Africa, China, and Brazil.
To make donation safe and accessible, NamBTS maintains over 300 mobile clinics and six fixed sites country-wide, which accounted for 21 percent and 31 percent of last year’s total collections, respectively.
Members of the public who are over 16 years old, weigh more than 50kg, live a sexually safe lifestyle, and enjoy good health are encouraged to attend special commemorative clinics this Saturday, 13 June 2026.
These public clinics will run from 08h00 to 14h00 at the 35 Tal Street Centre in Windhoek, and from 09h00 to 15h00 at the Grove Mall in Windhoek, Moerola Mall in Ongwediva, and Platz Am Meer in Swakopmund, with all participating donors receiving complimentary gifts and certificates of appreciation.
