Belita James, (40), was about to be taken to the theatre but the doctors had to think twice. Since she had less blood in body, the operation could have cost her life.

“Though doctors had asked my relatives to arrange blood but none was willing to help,” recalls James.

James had swelling in uterus that had to be removed to avoid further loss of blood, advised her surgeons.

“I could actually tell from the look on their faces that they were hesitating to operate me because there was no blood to transfuse afterwards,” she says.

Her face turns pale as she recalls, “I thought this was the best time to say my last prayers for me to die peacefully.”

Seeing wife’s death imminent, her husband deserted James.

She represents one of the many needy Malawians whose life hinges on generosity of blood donors. Like many other African nations, the country has blood banks but without the lifesaving fluid.

Safe and adequate supply of blood and its products have always been in short supply in cities, let alone rural areas.

Religious beliefs, cultural norms and mal-nutrition in general make collection of clean and healthy blood an uphill task. Relatives of patients requiring blood transfusion have to scout well-wishers.

“One day our principal told us there was an urgent need for blood to be given to a woman named Belita awaiting an operation,” recalls 46-year-old Steven Kumwamba, who was then Phalombe Secondary School student.

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