By Gabriel Olawale

LAGOS—Stakeholders in the health sector have been urged to ensure that 100 per cent of all blood for transfusion should be from voluntary blood donors as part of strategies in responding to the World Health Organisation, WHO, position that quite a number of deaths are related to loss of blood.

Making this call during the year 2014 annual free public health screening and awareness programme organized by the Muslim Congress of Mushin Local Government, the Chairman, Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee, LSBTC, Dr. Adetoun Agbe-Davies said that the recommendation WHO, that by 2020, all blood for transfusion should be from voluntary blood donors will go a long way in addressing issues of touting for blood donation as well as the demand for family replacement of blood through family donation for mothers at ante natal booking.

Agbe-Davies who praised the commitment of Lagosians in the direction of voluntary blood donation said that the number of voluntary blood donors has been increasing regularly since the inception of Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee.

The Chairman who was represented at the event by a member of the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee, Mrs. Serifat Lawal urged Lagosians to imbibe the spirit of voluntary blood donation and also become repeat donors, stressing that making safe blood available is a collective responsibility of everyone.