14/02/2026
Urgent Call to Strengthen Blood Donation During Fasting Seasons to Prevent Shortages
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Dr. Ashenafi Tazebew, Director General of the Blood and Tissue Bank Service, stated to the Service's Communication Executive that preparations are underway to implement various strategies aimed at increasing the number of donors and preventing potential blood shortages during the fasting seasons, a period when donation rates typically decline.
The Director General revealed that over the past seven months, 290,000 units of blood were collected nationwide out of a planned 320,000 units, achieving 91% of the target.
As this month marks the beginning of consecutive fasting seasons for both Orthodox Christian and Muslim followers, blood donation volumes are expected to decrease. To mitigate this and save lives, the Blood Bank plans to:
• Adjust and extend donation hours during fast-breaking times.
• Conduct extensive community-based mobilization campaigns.
• Disseminate encouraging Short Message Service (SMS) alerts to the public.
Following the success of the last two years, March has been designated as "Blood Donor Month." During this time, large-scale mobilization will be conducted through mainstream and social media platforms. Additionally, strategies have been designed to specifically reach segments of the community not participating in the fasts.
Emphasizing that the community is the foundation of voluntary blood donation, Dr. Ashenafi called for active participation to ensure that healthcare facilities do not face shortages and that no mother loses her life due to a lack of blood.
In a final message to both Christian and Muslim followers, Dr. Ashenafi shared his well wishes: "I wish for this fasting season to be a sacred time of prayer, performing good deeds, and approaching the Almighty through helping those in need—a time where we find spiritual strength and divine grace!"
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"Save lives by donating blood"
By Ethiopian Blood and Tissue Bank Service
