5 Blood Donation Event Cancellations in 3 Months, Claimed Political Influence

A worrying trend has emerged, where alleged political agendas are being used to influence the noble cause of blood donation, putting the integrity of blood drives at risk. A recent series of cancellations of blood drives organized by various institutions and individuals has sparked questions about the reasons behind these decisions.

According to l’Express’ sources, a new blood coordinator, still in a trial period at the Blood Bank, is responsible for making decisions about cancellations after consulting with a counselor from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Since February 2024, a rift has developed within the Blood Bank with the arrival of this coordinator, whose behavior and attitude have disrupted harmony among employees.

These employees claiming to have been treated poorly by him, showing no courtesy or respect.

Some even accused him of having an authoritarian attitude, exceeding his authority by ignoring directives from the Ministry of Health and citing his proximity to the PMO.

Notably, while the Blood Bank is responsible for deciding on all blood drive campaigns, this coordinator sought to involve a counselor from the PMO to approve blood collection campaigns.

However, instead of facilitating these vital drives, it appeared that this counselor is using their influence to sabotage those organized by individuals or institutions perceived as being in opposition.

This attempt to politicize blood donation is denounced by organizers. “This situation is highly concerning because it put the lives of many patients who are dependent on these blood donations for vital medical treatments at risk.

Blood donation should never be manipulated or used as a political tool. Each cancelled blood drive is representing a risk to the health and lives of those who need it, and this cannot be tolerated,” they said.

The Blood Bank, which is already campaigning to mobilize donors and raise awareness about the importance of blood donation, finds itself in a delicate situation.

It is up to organizers to advance this cause, and it is imperative that the Blood Bank is free from any political or partisan influence.

A Series of Cancellations

Dahmianee Beeharry-Panray, former director of Zone 4 of the Ministry of Education, had to fight to avoid a last-minute cancellation of her blood drive in April.

She had organized annual blood drives for the University of Third Age for nearly four years. In April, she had planned a blood drive on a Sunday with sponsors ready to support the event and mobilization already underway.

However, two days before the event, she received a call from the Blood Bank informing her that the drive was being cancelled without any justification.

She was forced to fight with the Ministry of Health to obtain permission to maintain the drive.

This situation is not isolated. The Universal College and Curepipe College have also seen their blood drives cancelled, with the latest one scheduled for June 21.

The administrators of these institutions are perceived as being close to opposition parties.

The Jeetah family, who wanted to organize a blood drive in Flacq, was not granted permission to do so.

These cancellations appeared to be orchestrated by this counselor from the PMO, who is filtering authorization requests for blood drives despite urgent needs at the Blood Bank.

The Blood Bank director and Ministry of Health officials seem to have been bypassed in these decisions.

Organizing a blood drive is a complex process requiring meticulous planning and significant efforts from organizers.

This involves finding sponsors, mobilizing the community to obtain maximum donors, and coordinating with the Blood Bank to ensure a smooth event.

This planning typically took place over a period of about a month, which means that all necessary approvals are obtained in advance.

Canceling a blood drive at the last minute without adequate justification raises concerns about motivation.

For organizers, it is clear that the Blood Bank cannot afford such interference. “Each cancelled blood drive represents a significant loss of potential lives saved.

Citizens must be able to give blood in confidence without fearing that their efforts will be cancelled for arbitrary reasons,” they said.

We have requested a statement from Dr. Janaki Sonoo, Director of the Blood Bank, but she was unavailable due to a meeting. l’Express is awaiting a response.

Source: l’Express