Lubumbashi, June 17th, 2025 (CPA). The city of Lubumbashi, chief town of Haut-Katanga province in the south-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, needs 4,000 blood transfusions per month, while the provincial blood transfusion centre only receives 60 to 80 voluntary blood donors per month, CPA has learned on Tuesday from a health source.
« Today, in the city of Lubumbashi, we are facing an estimated need for 4,000 blood transfusions per month compared to the facilities that are supposed to perform transfusions, which have been authorised by the blood bank. We deplore the fact that the provincial blood transfusion centre only receives 60 to 80 voluntary blood donors, » has declared Dominique Malango, who is responsible for promoting voluntary blood donation at the provincial blood transfusion centre. The need for blood bags far exceeds supply, given the consistently high and growing number of patients requiring blood transfusions in hospitals in Lubumbashi.
He has given the main difficulties faced by this provincial blood transfusion centre, which has now been in existence for 30 years. These include outdated medical equipment, insufficient medical and technical staff, and a lack of partners.