Tanzanian strongly condemns the sale of safe blood, warns those who turn it into a commodity

DAR ES SALAAM: THE Tanzanian government has strongly condemned the sale of blood in the country, emphasizing that blood voluntarily donated by citizens must never be turned into a commercial commodity. It has further warned that anyone found involved in a blood trade network will face strict legal, disciplinary, and professional action.

The statement was made by Minister for Health Mohamed Mchengerwa in Dar es Salaam during a dinner event held to honor leading blood donors in the country.

Minister Mchengerwa stressed that the commercialization of blood undermines government efforts, weakens the health system, erodes public trust in healthcare services, and discourages voluntary donors. He warned that no individual involved in such practices would escape accountability.

In another development, he called on health sector officials to allocate sufficient budgets for blood collection activities, procurement of medical supplies, staff training, quality assurance, monitoring of blood usage, and public awareness campaigns to encourage voluntary donation.

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He said reports indicate that the National Safe Blood Programme has been facing operational challenges due to limited funding. However, the government has been taking deliberate measures to strengthen its implementation. For the 2026/27 financial year, the government has allocated 4.5 billion shillings to support the programme.

Regarding broader healthcare improvements, the minister said the government is working to strengthen systems for organ and tissue transplantation in the country.

He also commended the World Health Organization (WHO) for its contribution to improving blood availability, noting that more than 60 percent of blood collected in the country comes from voluntary donors.

The government stated that it will continue to enhance oversight systems to ensure the availability of safe blood efficiently and in line with transparency and professional ethics.