with men
17 January 2006
The Department of Health held a meeting with the South African National
Blood Service (SANBS) in Johannesburg today to discuss the challenges posed by
the SANBS policy to exclude men who have had sex with men as blood doors.
The meeting reiterated the need to ensure a safe blood supply and
acknowledged the right of patients to have access to safe blood.
All donors should donate blood for the right reason, which is to provide
blood for patients. Therefore, the Department of Health condemns any action
that encourages the donation of blood that may pose a risk to the recipient or
the withholding of information that may be useful in determining the safety of
a blood donation.
At the request of the Department of Health, the SANBS has agreed to urgently
initiate a consultative process that should bring together stakeholders to
discuss and resolve the issues around the section of the SANBS self-exclusion
questionnaire that relates to men who have had sex with men.
This consultation process aims to allow input from stakeholders in
formulating the relevant section of the questionnaire in a manner that is
non-discriminatory but that also achieves the primary objective of maintaining
a safe blood supply.
Enquiries:
Sibani Mngadi
Cell: 082 772 0161
Issued by: Department of Health
17 January 2006
