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UPDATED: 16 Jan 2008 GMT
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Speeches 2006

Remarks by Ambassador Michael L. Retzer at the Opening of the Blood Transfusion Center

Venue: Ilala, Dar es Salaam.

June 8, 2006.
  • Honorable Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Madame Permanent Secretary, Regional Commissioner, Lord Mayor, honored guests,
  • Jambo!
  • Ni-me Fur-ah-ha Sana Ku-wa Hapa Leo. [Translation: I am happy to be here today]

  • We are here today to open a Zonal Blood Transfusion Center which will also serve as the Headquarters for the National Blood Transfusion Service.

  • The Center, renovated at a cost of 1.8 billion Tanzanian shillings provided through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), is a state of the art facility with a full lab downstairs and offices on the second floor. This is the 4th Zonal Center to be opened of a total of 7 planned, all of which are supported by PEPFAR.

  • Since 2002, the U.S. government has provided the government of Tanzania over $12 million U.S. dollars in direct support for blood safety. And that is a small part of the $130 million dollars we will provide Tanzania for the fight against AIDS this year alone.

  • But we are really here today to talk about the importance of clean blood.

  • In the U.S., and probably in many other parts of the world, we have an expression for donating blood – we call it ‘giving the gift of life’. When you think of how that blood is used – a primary use is for mother’s giving birth – it really is the gift of life. It is the gift of life when it is used to transfuse an accident victim after a significant loss of blood. And it is the gift of life when it is used to support a patient during surgery.

  • But left untested for HIV, one out of ten blood donations in Tanzania would spread the HIV infection and would ultimately lead to death. Without the ability to test potential donors, to draw blood hygienically, to store it safely, to transport it securely, one could never be sure if the blood would end up saving you or condemning you to death. That is how insidious this virus is – it takes the act of donating blood – a wonderful ‘chance to help’ - and turns it into a ‘chance to hurt’.

  • And that is really why the U.S. government has provided more than $12 million dollars to renovate and equip buildings, to furnish labs, and to train and staff facilities dedicated to ensuring the safety of donated blood. The U.S. government, through our Department of Health and Human Services’ Center for Disease Control, is fully committed to supporting the Ministry’s effort to ensure blood safety.

  • This year we will work with the Ministry to establish a sustainable nationally coordinated blood transfusion service backed with necessary policy, legislation, regulations and standards. We will work with you to provide and maintain adequate infrastructure (the buildings, the equipment and the transport) necessary for the collection, storage and distribution of safe blood.

  • And we will do all this for a very simple reason: because we will not stand by idly as HIV takes the gift of life and turns it into the grief of death. Instead, we stand here today as committed partners – committed to bringing our nation’s resources here to Tanzania to help address these vital needs.

  • Thank you.