WESTERN CAPE BLOOD SERVICE: New Site Allows for Strong Flow at WCBS

The healthcare industry in South Africa requires blood donations to continue delivering critical care to those in need over this holiday season. As people break from work for a well-earned rest, many travel away from their homes, and away from blood donation centres. Stocks deplete, and when hospitals make the call for the vital input, the pressure is felt.

It’s a worldwide problem. Healthcare providers in all countries need larger supplies. Blood is used in many scenarios, from childbirth to surgery to serious accidents and more. But without donations, lives at left at risk.

In December 2022/January 2023, in South Africa’s Western Cape alone, there were 131 road fatalities. At Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg, 70% of all admissions are emergencies – with around 160 victims of gunshots every month. And there were more that 1.2 million births in the country 2022. In these scenarios, blood stocks are a necessity.

In the Western Cape, blood donation is managed by the Western Cape Blood Service (WCBS). A non-profit organisation, WCBS supplies safe blood and blood products to all communities the province and prioritises safety at all costs. Whether it’s blood donors or recipients, the organisation is clear in its commitment to safety and operates to WHO standards, complies with the National Health Act, and is accredited by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS).

85 YEARS AND COUNTING

The history of the service goes back a long way – more than eight decades in fact. This year was the 85^th anniversary for WCBS after starting out life at Groote Schuur Hospital when the first meeting of the Cape Peninsula Blood Transfusion Service was held. Back then, blood was transfused straight from donor to recipient. After years of growth and development, and a surge in demand through periods of instability and conflict, the service has become a national asset.

Currently, WCBS collects 150,000 units of safe blood every year. That blood is used to impact the lives of more than 455,000 people. This is key in the claim from the organisation that for every single person that donates blood, three lives are potentially saved. The legacy is significant and the message is clear – more must donate, and donations must continue throughout the holiday season.

To maximise exposure, WCBS recently set up in various retail malls around the province, taking advantage of sentiment around the season of giving, explaining to the public the importance of donating. Titling the effort ‘Red Saturday’ after the infamous Black Friday events, everyone was a target. Anyone can donate – as long as you are between 16 and 75, weigh 50kg or more, living a healthy safe sexual lifestyle, and in good general health.

CEO and Medical Director, Greg Bellairs, says that the recent move to a new premises – the latest milestone for the essential organisation – is helping it to become more efficient and grow in the future.

“The last five years have been challenging but successful. The pandemic made working conditions difficult and we had to continue seamlessly throughout that period,” he recalls.

“Our footprint has expanded markedly across the province – we have regional branches in Worcester and George, and blood banks in every health care facility throughout the province.

“One of the biggest projects we’ve done has been the relocation of our headquarters. We were in Old Mill Road for well over 30 years in a very old building and several challenges started to become more and more pervasive. The first was that we started to run out of space there. Second was that we did not have our warehouse on site. The shape and size of that property meant it was very difficult to complete significant expansion.”

The decision was made to relocate to a new site, but few options were available that suited the unique needs of the WCBS. Timing was also difficult as the pandemic restrictions made it challenging to meet and discuss.

Eventually, a new site in Maitland was chosen and a complex build process began.

“It was a greenfield build and we started with a vacant piece of land,” says Bellairs. “We completed the building in late 2022 and the move – another significant project in itself – took three months to complete. One of the biggest challenges was that we needed to continue all our operations without interruption – processing, testing, and distribution of blood had to continue as normal.”

20% larger and with space for the warehouse to be incorporated, the new building on Oude Molen Road replaces the site on Old Mill Road where the service had been located for 32 years. Room for more staff and more activity, as well as being better connected, make the site perfect for an expanding organisation. The three-month relocation process was completed and the focus for increased donations continues.

“There are several advantages to where we are now,” says Bellairs. “The first is our proximity to the major freeways. Secondly. we are able to have all operations in the correct place – our laboratories are now on the ground floor and this is important because they house a lot of big and heavy equipment and we no longer require cranes to move things around. Having the warehouse on site is a huge advantage and we are now able to plan and store everything we need. We also have space to grow and we are hopeful that this site will gradually enable us to increase capacity – which is inevitable as the province continues to grow – for at least the next two decades.”

MUCH-NEEDED

According to the World Health Organisation, half of the blood donations collected around the world are in higher-income countries, home to just 19% of the global population. In sub-Saharan Africa, chronic shortages of blood threaten the major groups who receive transfusions – women and children around the time of childbirth.

To close the gap, an everlasting campaign is in place – with various efforts throughout the year – to imprint the idea of donating in the Western Cape on the mind of the conscious public. With support from the private sector and other media outlets, the message is strong and consistent.

“By donating one unit of blood, you get to save up to three lives,” says Marike Carli, Public Relations Manager at WCBS. “We are inviting our donors to please support us by bringing a friend when you come and donate and in doing so inspire others to donate blood. We are hoping to welcome 200 or more new blood donors to our blood donor family. No matter who you are or where you are from, we urge you to donate blood.

“Heroes don’t get cold feet; they step up and save lives,” she adds.

Thanks to the hard work of the service over the year, the infrastructure is in place, the system works, and the opportunity for life saving donation is more than potential. WCBS makes it a reality today. This non-profit delivers a gift that keeps on giving. Support today.