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Blood safe despite unacceptable testing policy

    JOHANNESBURG

    The Medical Research Council (MRC) says blood from the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) is safe, and strict measures are taken to ensure that patients do not contract transmittable diseases.

    However, the MRC's executive director of research, Dr Anthony Mbewu, says a lot more could be done to prevent blood donors from being stigmatised, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported.

    Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang recently said an SANBS policy "smacked of racism", when it emerged that donors' risk of carrying disease was categorised by race, with infection thought to be "more widespread" among blacks.

    Noting that these standards were not necessarily acceptable in this country, Mbewu said: "The MRC is looking at standards for South Africa. The SANBS is to put out a statement to say that this practice will be discarded."

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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