Malawi has the smallest number of blood donors as a percentage of the total population when compared to others in the SADC region. About 77 percent of blood donors in Malawi are under the age of 25 while in countries that are doing better, about 70 percent of their donors are above the age of 25. The large proportion of blood donors below the age of 25 in Malawi partly explains why the country is failing to meet the target of 80, 000 units per year. One of the main reasons contributing to the adult population’s reluctance to donate blood has been attributed to superstitious beliefs and myths. Many people, mainly those with low literacy, believe that donating blood could make them lose their strength, manhood and sexual potency and reduce their lifespan. Other people also fear testing HIV positive. This policy brief also looks at other factors that have contributed to the low levels of voluntary non-remunerated blood donors, and makes a discussion of policy options that could right the issue. It then makes some recommendations based on this discussion.
How Can Malawi Increase The Number Of Voluntary Non-remunerated Blood Donors
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