WCBS aims to maintain a minimum of 250 units (5-day supply) of group O-negative red cell products at all times across 8 WCBS Blood Banks and over 100 WCBS Emergency Banks for patients in need.
Due to recent constraints on blood stocks, particularly for group O-negative, this has become a primary focus of WCBS’s marketing efforts for blood donation, donor recruitment, and donor retention, as ongoing challenges are faced in meeting daily collection targets. The urgency is significant, as it requires 1 day for donation testing and component processing before units can be made available for patient distribution.
A 2025 study indicates that the prevalence of group O-negative blood in South Africa aligns with the global rate of 3.2%, highlighting it as a niche market. Furthermore, the recommended applications for group O-negative blood extend beyond group O-negative patients; it is also utilised for intrauterine transfusions, neonatal exchange transfusions, neonatal and paediatric platelet transfusions, and as emergency blood for Rh-negative patients when there is insufficient time to wait for crossmatched blood.
While increasing the O-negative blood donor base is important, the appropriate use of this product by clinicians is equally imperative. The misuse of O-negative products from emergency fridges remains a problem that WCBS hopes to address through ongoing educational strategies.
Having said that, WCBS is successfully growing a sustainable donor base overall, as evidenced by increases in the number of youth donors. If you would like to support WCBS on its growth journey, please visit the WCBS website (www.wcbs.org.za) or contact the Customer Service Officer for assistance (info@wcbs.org.za).
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