Mega Com FC, a Francistown-based football team, last week held a football tournament in an effort to sensitize the public on the importance of blood donations.
The councilor for Area S location in Francistown, Albert Mosojane, who was the guest speaker during the official launch of the tournament, hailed Mega Com FC for coming up with a very important initiative of raising awareness to the public on the importance of blood donations.
“I am informed by the Department of Blood Transfusion Services that every year they target 40 000 units of safe blood, but they only manage about 15 000 units of safe blood, which is not even half of what they are looking for,” he said.
He added that blood donation is very imperative as blood is needed to save the lives of people in hospitals such as burned patients, accidents casualties, surgeries, cancer patients and delivering mothers.
Mosojane also encouraged the parents to try and talk to their children to take part in blood donation exercises.
“I am informed that when one person donates blood, that blood can save three people. I therefore call upon you to donate blood because that blood can save you, your relatives and your friends,” the councilor said.
Mosojane went on to say that although teams such as Mega Com FC are lower division teams which are faced with various challenges such as financial hardships, they continue to set a standard in playing an active role in the community.
He called on other teams and the department of Blood Transfusion Service to work cooperatively.
Meanwhile, speaking to the Sunday Standard in a separate interview, the Publicity and Marketing Manager of Mega Com FC, Karabo Sename, said that they found it imperative that they utilize football as a tool to encourage individuals to donate blood as people always attend football games in high numbers.
“We have decided to hold such tournaments annually and we are going to rope in organizations such as Tebelopele to also try and spread messages on HIV/Aids awareness,” he added.
The teams that participated at the tournament are ECCO City Greens, Nico United and Mega Com FC.
ECCO City Greens emerged the victor as it thumped Nico United 3 -2.
