Luanda: A total of 142,000 people donated blood in Angola in 2025, with only 20% contributing voluntarily, as revealed by Deodete Machado, the general director of the National Blood Institute (INS). According to Angola Press News Agency, Machado shared these insights during an interview with ANGOP coinciding with World Blood Donor Day. She noted that the number of donations in 2024 was between 182,183, and expressed optimism for growth due to an expanding hospital network and increasing demand for health services. Despite this, the director emphasized that the 2025 donor count was insufficient to ensure sustainable blood reserves for Angola's hospitals. Machado highlighted that Angola, with an estimated population of 36 million, should ideally have around 360,000 blood donors annually. She pointed out that the culture of voluntary blood donation in the country does not meet the World Health Organization's recommendation of 1% of the population being regular donors. The predominance of family donors contrad icts international guidelines, posing a significant challenge in attracting enough donors to fulfill the needs of health units. In Luanda, the daily requirement stands at approximately 360 units of blood to maintain hospital operations. Machado stressed the importance of ensuring blood availability before it is urgently needed. She also highlighted the demand for blood groups with a negative Rh factor due to their rarity. Machado assured that the Institute has intensified efforts to guarantee blood quality and safety through professional training, equipment modernization, and strict adherence to protocols for collection, testing, conservation, and distribution. She identified fear of needles, religious beliefs, and myths about health loss post-donation as barriers preventing potential donors from coming forward. To tackle these challenges, the Institute has launched awareness campaigns via media, social networks, educational institutions, religious groups, and community organizations. One proposed initiati ve is incorporating blood donation education into school curricula to foster a culture of solidarity from a young age. Machado reiterated the Institute's goal to achieve 100% voluntary donations, reducing reliance on family donors. She called for more Angolans to become regular donors to ensure universal access to blood. World Blood Donor Day, celebrated under the theme 'Donate blood, save lives', underscores the significance of regular and voluntary donations, commemorating voluntary donors and promoting safe blood transfusions globally.
