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Blood not 'race-free' yet
29/09/2005 22:25 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has rejected a statement by the SA National Blood Service it would only stop using race as an indicator of blood safety when it was absolutely satisfied its donor base was equitably distributed, SABC news reported on Thursday.
Earlier, the minister expressed satisfaction the SANBS had been able to implement a new race-free risk rating model for blood donations.
"I'm glad the SANBS has been able to implement the new risk model for blood donations that excludes race within timelines that we set," she told reporters in Johannesburg earlier in the day.
This follows an uproar last year and an order from Tshabalala-Msimang race should no longer be used as part of the system to determine whether donated blood was safe for use.
"I don't have to remind you what happened to our president's blood?something unheard of all over the world. That was a difficult moment for all of us."
'You will receive a quality product that is safe'
At a presidential visit to a blood donation site, President Thabo Mbeki's blood was not used because he asked that he not have to fill in the questionnaire asking for personal details and a medical history.
Newspaper reports subsequently exposed the service's previous policy of rating blood from races other than white as a higher risk, which emerged in a labour hearing of an SANBS staff member. Discussions followed between the health department and SANBS about its discrimination against black donors.
"I can tell you now that as a matter of policy anyone who comes to donate blood will be welcome at the blood service. In fact we will welcome this change demographically," said SANBS CEO Anthon Heyns.
The system would continue to be fine-tuned as it was used.
"You will receive a quality product that is safe as is humanly possibly within the confines of science in 2005. It is something the people in South Africa can be really proud of," Heyns said.
However, SABC reported, Heyns has since said the new system could only be fully implemented once the proper donor base had been created.
Tshabalala-Msimang categorically denied the basis of the statement and has angrily demanded a retraction from Heyns.
- SAPA
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