the Knesset had a blood donation day, bringing in MDA to run it. MDA, following its long-standing policy, told Tamno-Shata, an Ethiopian-Israel (is that the right term?), that she should not bother donating blood, as it could not be used. If she would want to donate anyway that would be fine, but she should know in advance that her blood would not be used.
This, understandably, generated outrage in the Knesset. The blood drive was halted, MDA was sent away, and everyone is now jumping all over MDA for being racist.
I say this was staged because MDA is not really at fault, and not necessarily racist (meaning, I don't know if the people formulating policy are racist or not, but this incident does not indicate that they are). MDA does not even set this policy - it was set long ago by the Ministry of Health. The Minister of Health (Yael Gherman) has expressed outrage at the situation - MK Tamno-Shata is from the same party, Yesh Atid, as she herself is from, yet the truth is that Gherman is the one currently responsible for this decision. Instead of outrage, Gherman could just go and change the rule. it is in her hands, not MDAs.
The rule MDA follows is that they cannot take blood from anyone who has lived for a certain period of time in any country (there is a list) in which HIV, and some other diseases, is prevalent. Ethiopian is one of the countries on the list, as is Great Britain, among other countries. Tamno-Shata went to this blood drive in the Knesset knowing that rule very well. She herself led a protest against MDA over this very same issue about 7 years ago. She was not surprised when she was told her blood could not be used.
So the outrage is being staged.
However, the outrage, as fake as it is, will hopefully have a good result. This policy has been in place for a long time. Perhaps it is time to review it. I would not be surprised to find out that since it was instituted it has never been reviewed to see if it is effective, if it is still relevant and/or if it is still necessary. Hopefully this outrage, fake as it is, will be the spark that gets this rule reviewed - if it is found to be ineffective and purposeless, it should be changed, adjusted, amended or canceled. If it is doing the job it was meant to do, it should be kept, adjusted and strengthened. I do not believe it is a racist law by its very being, but it does need to be reviewed.
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