### Blood transfusions to Lubumbashi: a critical need and challenges to overcome
** Lubumbashi, June 17, 2025 **-The city of Lubumbashi, chief town of the Haut-Katanga province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is faced with a major public health issue: demand for blood transfusions alarmingly exceeds supply capacities. With an estimated need for 4,000 transfusions per month, the provincial blood transfusion center manages to attract only 60 to 80 volunteer donors each month. This imbalance raises essential questions about health security and the management of diseases in this region.
** A need for non -satisfied public health **
This precariousness underlined by Dominique Malango, in charge of promoting the volunteer blood donation at the provincial center, echoes a reality difficult to ignore. Insufficient blood donations can have dramatic consequences on the lives of patients requiring transfusions, whether people with chronic diseases, pregnant women or accident victims.
The situation in Lubumbashi, although worrying, is not unique in the DRC. Many health structures across the country suffer from similar problems related to the limited blood supply, often exacerbated by human losses due to diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. This dynamic highlights a systemic fracture in the national health system which deserves special attention.
** The challenges of the provincial blood transfusion center **
The Lubumbashi Blood Transfusion Provincial Center faces several significant challenges that slow down its effectiveness. Among the most worrying, there is the obsolescence of medical equipment, the insufficiency of technical and medical staff, as well as the absence of sufficient partnerships to support its operations. This complex situation creates a vicious circle where the lack of adequate infrastructure discourages potential donors, thus making the situation even more difficult to reverse.
It is essential to explore the reasons behind the low participation of citizens in blood donation. What are the cultural perceptions, fears or ignorance that surrounds this essential practice? Were awareness campaigns sufficient to mobilize the population, and how can they be improved to encourage more donors to manifest?
** A necessary community response **
To overcome this crisis, it is imperative to adopt a holistic approach that combines community awareness, improvement in infrastructure and collaborations reinforced with government and non-governmental organizations. Efforts to strengthen dialogue with local communities could play a key role. By raising awareness of blood donation, Lubumbashi could potentially increase the number of donors and improve the situation.
This initiative could include the establishment of educational activities, targeted media campaigns and the involvement of schools, churches and local associations to supervise this process. Likewise, investment in the modernization of infrastructure of the blood transfusion center could restore confidence in citizens about the safety and efficiency of blood collection.
** Prospects for the future **
Responding to the blood transfusions in Lubumbashi requires close cooperation between the government, NGOs and citizens. Discussions around improving health conditions should not stop for blood access, but must also encompass the entire health system, to ensure that patient needs are met in the best possible conditions.
Indeed, an integrated response strategy could not only relieve pressure on the blood transfusion system, but also strengthen community resilience to possible future challenges. Collective mobilization and cultural change around blood are crucial steps so that Lubumbashi, and the DRC as a whole, can move towards a future where each medical need is taken care of with diligence and humanity.
It is now time to initiate a constructive debate around these questions, because the health of the population must always remain an indisputable priority. What concrete measures can we consider to build a future where everyone has equitable access to care, and where blood donation is seen as an act of civic solidarity?